I Would Wait a Lifetime
by labyrinthofsuffering11
Summary: AU. No Amy, sorry. Everyone knows the Bad Wolf and the Oncoming Storm were meant to be together. So when the Doctor lands in the garden of a familiar face, will everyone be glad to see him again?
1. Chapter 1

AN: I got some inspiration after seeing this youtube video by someone I can't remember of Eleven/Rose/10.5. I want to make this so it stops running around my head. I know that the eleventh doctor did not regenerate on Thanksgiving, but it was my first prompt, so let's just pretend for the sake of this story, that did happen. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1- Thanksgiving

The Doctor had just regenerated and the TARDIS was burning. The entire ship was exploding around him, and he was so young and his mind was scrambled. _Born in regret and longing_, the TARDIS told him.

"Alright, old girl, don't give up on me just yet!" the Doctor exclaimed and dashed to his feet. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the console, only to have it spit more fire at him and throw him out the door.

He clung to the edge of the mad blue box and clutched the screwdriver in his teeth.

_Dong! Dong!_ He turned his head to look behind him and what he saw made his eyes go wide. He was about to collide with Big Ben. The Doctor pointed his sonic at the console again, clinging for dear life by his newly formed elbow. _Please, please, please_ he pleaded.

Thankfully the TARDIS steered him above the clock at just the right moment, and he was able to gain his balance for long enough to pull himself into the ship and close the doors. His chest heaved with exhaustion, and the TARDIS was still burning.

"What are you doing?" he asked out loud. The ship just hummed at him in response. All of a sudden, the TARDIS' emergency lights kicked on and everything went sliding around. The Doctor couldn't tell which way was up anymore, and he felt himself sliding. He looked down to see the swimming pool.

"No, no, no!" he protested, trying to find something to grab onto. But it was all in vain as he landed with a _splash!_ right into the library's pool. The ship landed with a resounding crash, and he groaned. They had landed on the side, making it a million times more difficult for him to crawl out of the TARDIS. He looked around and saw some rope. He tied one end to his waist and one end he threw to the door handle and looped it around a few times. The Doctor slowly pulled himself up and opened the doors.

He landed in a garden outside of a nice looking flat. It was nighttime, and the wind was cool against his face. The leaves were starting to change colors. The Doctor walked over to one of the windows and peered in, hoping to get some kind of answer as to why he landed here.

There was a family dinner going on. It was an older man dressed in a suit and tie, an older woman with bleach blonde hair, a younger man carving a turkey, and a young woman laughing and smiling.

_Turkey? It must be Thanksgiving_, the Doctor mused. He watched the family interacting for a few moments. The young woman jokingly put a dollop of mashed potatoes on the young man's nose and kissed him. His heart ached at the thought that his Rose was probably getting to do these things right now, and he couldn't be there with her to enjoy it. He would trade a lifetime of travelling the stars if that meant he could get one more day with Rose, even if that meant having to do domestics. Even if that meant he had to deal with Jackie.

The young man looked up. It was his tenth form that he had just regenerated from.

"No," the Doctor whispered into the night, "_impossible._" He stumbled back from the glass and tripped over his own feet, landing on his bum.

The door opened to the flat. _Well, this is it. I've gone completely bonkers. There's no way I'm in a parallel universe._

His tenth form stood in the doorway, light casting shadows on the grass. "You're him, aren't you?" is all he said.

The Doctor stood up and brushed himself up. He strode to the door. "Yeah."

"And you regenerated?"

"Yeah," he said.

"She doesn't want to see you," his metacrisis hissed. "We're happy." He slammed the door in the Doctor's face.

He got angry, and that is to say, _really_ angry. No one treated the Doctor that way. Not even his own metacrisis. He rapped firmly on the door.

It was yanked open to reveal the metacrisis. "_What?_" he hissed.

"If she doesn't want to see me, let me hear it. Let me hear it from her lips." The Doctor's feet were planted firmly on the doorstep, teeth gritted.

Both men sized each other up. The metacrisis sighed. "Rose?" he called. "Come here, there's someone here for you."

And then a voice came from the door that he thought he would never hear again. "Who's comin' on Thanksgiving? No one from work, I hope,"

His tenth form just chuckled darkly. Rose was there, next to him. She was so beautiful, as always. Wearing a long black dress that hugged her curves so well, and hair around her shoulders. It was longer now, he noted. The dark circles around her eyes had faded a bit. He couldn't get enough of this moment. The Doctor drank in all of her, like he could never get enough. He just wanted to crush her into his chest and never let her go again.

Her mouth hung open slightly before she spoke, "Doctor?"

All he could do is nod.

"He felt you regenerate," she told him. "Can I...?" she gestured sheepishly to his hair.

"Of course," the Doctor smiled and leaned towards her. A cautious hand reached out to touch this new hair. "How do I look?" he asked shyly. "I haven't gotten a chance to look yet."

"Good," she replied, to which he smiled and his metacrisis frowned. "I mean, your hair is a little floppy, but I think overall you turned out well."

She took away her hand quickly and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Where's your...?" she asked, and they all knew what she meant.

"Crashed. I have to look at it."

"Would you like to come in? For some dinner?" she asked.

His metacrisis looked between the two of them like he was trying to decipher something.

"I would love to, but I can't." He pretended not to notice that her face fell.

"Let's get back, Rose," his metacrisis draped an arm around Rose and went lead her away. The Doctor's vision went black and fell to the ground with a _thump!_


	2. Chapter 2

AN: This is literally difficult to write because I love Ten/Rose so much D: But I mean, we all know the Doctor and Rose are meant for each other, no matter what form he takes. And now the metacrisis is stuck with him for the time being! I apologize in advance for all the angst. It hurts so good, though.

Chapter 2-Earth, Most Likely

The Doctor shot up and rubbed his head. It felt like he had collided with a train. "What happened to me?" he wondered out loud. He looked around the unfamiliar surroundings and found he was on a couch. But where?

As if to answer his question someone appeared in the doorway to his left. It was Rose. _This has to be a dream_, he was telling himself. She wasn't standing there. He just took a nasty bump to the head when the TARDIS landed.

The dream in question walked over to him slowly, like she was afraid if she moved too fast he was going to disappear altogether. She sat down next to him, looking at her hands.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi," he croaked.

"Are you...okay? Wait, no, that's stupid. You wouldn't be here if you were fine, yeah? No, don't answer that either. I'm askin' stupid questions. Okay, breathe," Rose paused.

"Have you been spending too much time around me?" he asked, cracking a grin.

"Yeah, maybe," she mumbled. "What I meant to say is, how are you here?"

"I don't know," the Doctor answered truthfully. "I had just regenerated and the TARDIS was going mad, and then I crashed. I landed here."

"You're quieter, in this form," she acknowledged.

"Oh, no, Rose Tyler. I am still as much of a blabber, I can tell. I'm just trying really hard to control my nerves here. Time Lords dont. Get. Nervous." He was trying to convince himself more than her, really.

"Did you get this from the crash?" she asked, reaching out to touch his shirt. He looked down to see the shirt was covered in scratches and rips.

"I guess, yeah. Didn't really notice. Not when-nah, never mind."

"No, what were you going to say?" Oh, and now she was looking at him with that _look_. That look that he could never ignore. He grabbed her hand where it was tracing the rips on his shirt, but seeing the fear in her eyes, he placed it lightly against her chest. He turned his head. The more he looked at her, touched her, the more it would hurt later.

"It doesn't matter," he whispered.

They were interrupted by him, of course. He cleared his throat loudly to make his presence known, and Rose jumped a foot until she was as far away from the Doctor on the couch as she could manage.

"You're feeling better," the metacrisis said flatly.

The Doctor just nodded. "Do you happen to have any apples?" he asked. Best to ask something safe.

"Apples?" he asked, confusion clear on his face.

"Yeah, I really want an apple right now. I'm starving, and I think that might be why I passed out!" Really, he just wanted to change the subject.

Rose spoke up. "There's a bag of apples in the kitchen, if you follow me. They're left over from pie." She got up and immediately left for the kitchen.

"Oh, good! I love apples!" he called after her. He got up to follow her, and the metacrisis reluctantly tagged along.

Rose handed him an apple when he reached the counter. The Doctor took a bite out of it and spit it out.

"That's disgusting!" he exclaimed. "What is _that_?"

"An apple," Rose laughed.

"Apples are rubbish. I hate apples. No, no, no. Yogurt! Give me yogurt! I love yogurt."

Rose walked over to the fridge and dug around in the drawers before she produced a small container that said strawberry. "Here."

The Doctor took it and looked at her gratefully. "Thanks." He tore off the lid and gulped it down, only to spit it out. "You know what? I hate yogurt, it's just stuff with bits in it."

She rose her eyebrows at the metacrisis. "Were you always like this after you regenerated?"

The Doctor answered for him. "Nope! This is something brand new. But enough of this chit-chat! New mouth, new rules! It's like eating after having your teeth cleaned. It all tastes WRONG! I know what I need." He crossed the floor to the fridge and opened the freezer door. "Ah! Fish fingers and..." he opened the fridge door, "custard."

He sat down at the counter and ate like he had never seen food in his life. He scooped the custard up with fish fingers. The metacrisis looked at him disgusted, but Rose was giggling.

"At least it's not pears, yeah?"

The metacrisis agreed. "I'd much rather fish fingers and custard than pears any day."

The Doctor cringed. "I don't think I'd ever touch a pear. Now then, how have you lot been?"

Rose looked at the metacrisis. "We've been okay," she smiled at him.

"Weeell, I'd call it more than okay." He winked in her direction.

Rose giggled, and the Doctor felt jealousy welling up inside of him. Only she did this to him, and it wasn't fair. He was supposed to be above emotions, and instead it's like they were on red alert.

"And we are in the parallel universe, right?" the Doctor asked.

The metacrisis scoffed. "Like we wouldn't be?"

"Watch it, metacrisis," he snapped. "I was only asking. For all I know," he paused and looked at Rose, "this isn't real."

"Oi! My name is John!" he exclaimed. "And of course this is real."

"And we are on Earth?" he asked, just checking. "We're not in heaven? Because I think I see an angel."

Rose giggled and poked her tongue in between her teeth in that teasing smile of hers. "You got a bit more flirty, eh? We're on Earth,_ most likely_," she teased him.

John glared at the Doctor. "She's mine. You left her with me, remember?"

He turned away from his glare in shame, and dropped the last fish finger, no longer hungry.

Rose cleared her throat, commanding his attention once more. "You should sleep here for the night, yeah? You took a nasty fall to the head."

"No!" both John and the Doctor protested. They glared at each other again.

"Well, what I mean is," the Doctor began, "I don't want to put you out. I need clothes, which are in the TARDIS. My bedroom is in the TARDIS. All I need is to put it right side up."

"You can borrow John's clothes, right John?" She gave John _that_ look, and he knew that he would have to stay and sleep in his half human form's clothes, because he could never resist Rose Tyler in any of his forms.

John sighed. "Yeah, it's fine," he fake smiled. "We're basically the same, right?"

"Well-"

But Rose cut him off. "Don't start. Go straight to bed, yeah? I'll clean up. And John, fetch him some clothes."

They both walked down the hall, defeated.

"You can still not resist her, huh?" John asked quietly.

"Of course I can't. I'm you."

"Just-" he stopped talking for a moment and looked the Doctor straight in the eye, "Just _don't_ make this harder on her than it already is, okay? Do her a favor and don't flirt, don't touch, and try not to talk to her while you're here tonight."

The Doctor nodded reluctantly. "Okay. Now go get me those clothes, so she can't nag us anymore, yeah?"

Both of the Doctors laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I know that's not how the food scene happened originally, but some of the lines wouldn't make sense with Rose, so hence the shortening of that scene. Reviews/follows/favorites are nice! These chapters seem to just be rolling out of me.

Chapter 3-Independence or Just How Much the Doctor Needs Rose Tyler

The Doctor slept more peacefully than usual, because it was always that way after regeneration. Even superior Time Lord cells needed to repair and change themselves. He rubbed his eyes and looked down at the borrowed pajamas in dismay. Blue pinstripes.

_Did I ever wear anything else?_ He shook his head at the ridiculous seeming clothes, and vowed that he would find a different set of clothes in the TARDIS as soon as possible. In fact, he was doing that right now. Renewed with a new sense of purpose, the Doctor pushed off from the bed and walked out of the doors into the garden. He walked over to the side of the ship and picked it up. He carefully set it down on the ground and walked inside. _Oh, his gorgeous ship was in ruins._ He sank to the ground at the doors and looked around with tears in his eyes. He stroked the floor softly.

_I will redecorate you_, he promised the TARDIS. After pausing for a moment of silence, he walked further into a hallway he knew very well. The Doctor pushed open the door to his bedroom and walked over to the closet, pulling the door open and searching thoroughly. After coming up frustratingly empty-handed he pleaded to the ship. Please give me some decent clothes. Right in front of his eyes a pair of trousers, light red pinstripe dress shirt, tweed jacket, boots, and a red bowtie appeared.

_Bowties are cool_, he said without thinking about it, and quickly dressed in the new clothes. He walked over to his night stand to stare at the framed picture of Rose he kept there. She was laughing, hair flying in the wind, and she looked absolutely gorgeous. _His_ Rose, he said firmly. He was the Doctor, damnit, and Rose was his. _No one_ was going to take her from him this time, not even another version of himself.

He was startled by footsteps coming down the hall. He quickly threw the picture under the bed, and straightened himself up to look as innocent as possible. It was a good thing, too, because Rose was standing in his doorway.

"Hello," she said. She was absentmindedly stroking the doorframe. "I really missed her."

"She missed you, too," he said sincerely.

"I'm sure she had others to keep her company," she said.

The Doctor walked over to where Rose was standing. "She _loved_ you."

Her breath hitched, but he couldn't tell if it was from their closeness, or just him.

"You changed clothes," she squeaked.

"It was time for a change."

"A bowtie?" she asked.

"Bowties are _cool_," he said defensively, and reached up clutch it like she would take it from him.

"No, I-I like it," Rose assured. "I was kind of afraid you'd gone again. John said you would be already," she mumbled.

The Doctor grabbed her chin lightly and made her look at him. "I wouldn't leave without telling you goodbye, Rose Tyler."

She blushed and nodded, dropping her gaze. He dropped her chin.

"So, this is your room?" she questioned.

"Yeah."

She stepped further in to look at everything. "I like this." Rose pointed at the floor decorated with Gallifreyan. She walked around, admiring the TARDIS' handiwork. She stopped when she came to the table by his bed. He had forgotten to take the picture of them on New Earth together off.

He cursed under his breath in Gallifreyan.

"You keep this in your room?" Rose's eyes were watery. Rose Tyler was touched. His Rose. He did this to her.

He nodded, afraid to speak. She walked over to him and reached up to cup his cheek. The Doctor was going to let her do it. He was going to, but then...

"Do you need help fixing this thing, or-" John stopped in his tracks when he got into the TARDIS. "Oi! Can I leave you two alone for five seconds, or should I lock the doors?"

Rose jumped back like she had been shocked, and dropped her gaze again.

"Maybe you shouldn't come into the TARDIS," the Doctor said coldly. How dare he come in here and make his Rose feel this way?

"Maybe you should control yourself around _my_ Rose," John growled.

"Watch yourself, clone!" he exclaimed.

Rose sighed. "Both of you stop. Come on, John." She held out her hand and John entwined their fingers together. She looked back at the Doctor sadly and gave a little shrug.

"_I need_-!" he started to shout at him before the doors slammed closed, "her more than you," he finished quietly.

The Doctor slapped himself a few times after Rose left. What had gotten into him? The metacrisis was highly unstable still. Of course he needed Rose more than the Doctor. Or did he? He had never been a homewrecker, but there was something about Rose that just wouldn't let him go, and he needed her back. Now that he had this chance, he couldn't let it go to waste.

First order of business was to fix his TARDIS, and then the Doctor would go make nice with John. He would only be friendly to her. He wouldn't try to woo her. He would eat dinner with them nicely. He could do that. He was independent, and he didn't need Rose Tyler.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thank you so much for all the story follows/favorites! I had no idea that this story would become so popular. Then again, it's Rose and the Doctor. Who doesn't love them? xD I don't own Doctor Who, unfortunately.

Chapter 4- Dinner of Broken Hearts and Stolen Glances

The Doctor was working on his TARDIS when Rose came back in.

"John's gone out to get somethin' for dinner. You're comin', yeah?" she asked.

He wheeled out from under the console to study her. Her eyes were bright and hopeful, like she was wishing he would take her up on the offer, and what about his promise of being friendly?

He smiled at her. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world." He went back to work, and she sat down next to him.

"So, what happened to the TARDIS, Doctor?" Rose asked him. He was silent for a moment, not sure if he should tell her the bad news he had already discovered. The Doctor put down his sonic screwdriver, wiped his hands on his pants, and sat up to look her in the eye.

"Whenever I crashed, all of the systems went offline. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Usually, whenever I get stuck somewhere it's for a specific reason trapping me here and not allowing me to leave, but this...this is like something I've never experienced."

"What do you mean?" Confusion flashed in her eyes.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, the TARDIS is refusing to repair itself, and I can't figure out why. I've tried everything. Nothing is broken. It just refuses to turn on."

"Maybe it's keeping you here for a reason?" Rose asked.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. "I'm sure of it."

"You can stay here until you fix the problem, yeah?" she smiled at him.

"I don't think that's right, Rose. As much as I would love to, I'm obviously not the most welcome of guests."

Rose sighed and hung her head. "I suppose you're right. Where will you go?"

"I've thought about it. I'm going to leave the TARDIS here and look for a flat of my own," he said.

She shook her head. "At least stay at Pete's. They have plenty of extra room."

The Doctor grimaced at that idea. "With Jackie Tyler? No thanks."

Rose giggled. "Yeah, I suppose I didn't think that one through." She got quiet for a moment before speaking again, "Doctor, you're not meant for domestics. The universe needs you."

He smiled sadly. "What choice do I have?"

"Stay here," she pleaded. "At least sleep in the TARDIS and we can feed you."

The Doctor knew he was going to give in. 900 years, and Rose Tyler was his only weak spot. "Fine, but the moment John tells you I have to go, I go."

"That's not going to last," she mumbled. "I gotta go fix dinner. Finish up here, yeah?"

The Doctor nodded and went back under the console. He heard her get up and close the doors to the TARDIS. He let out a shaky breath and got back to work.

…...

She was a fantastic cook._ Why didn't he have her make more meals whenever they were travelling?_ It just never occurred to him, with the TARDIS having meals readily available for them, whenever they got hungry.

He hadn't realized how engrossed he was in the food, until John spoke. "She's a brilliant cook, right?"

The Doctor nodded his agreement. "I didn't know you could cook like this, Rose."

Her face deepened in color. "It's nothing, really."

"Nothing? Rose, don't be so humble!" John admonished.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "John's right, this is fantastic."

Rose's face lit up as she recognized the ninth Doctor's terminology. John scowled at him.

He put on his best innocent face and went back to eating the shepard's pie in front of him. He would look up every now and then to glance at Rose to find her staring back. Gods, why was she so beautiful. She was just a pink and yellow human, so why did she have such an effect on him? _Because she is so much more_, he told himself._ She is Rose. Our Rose. Not his._ His heart was fighting his mind.

"So, why did you leave her, Doctor?" John asked. The Doctor choked on his piece of shepard's pie and drank a long sip of water, and Rose let out a squeak of surprise._Oh._ This was how he was going to play dinner tonight. It seemed his metacrisis had gotten all the worst parts of humanity. Or maybe there was just something about Rose that brought out the worst in both of them.

He gave him a cold glare. "You know why, John."

"I know, but she doesn't. I want you to tell her. Do you have any idea what it's like, having to listen to her scream every night? Having to listen to her cry and ask why you abandoned her?" He was being so cruel. But, if this is what Rose went through then he deserved this.

The Doctor's face fell, and he looked at her with soft eyes. "Is that true, Rose?"

She looked close to being on the verge of tears as she dropped her fork.

"Of course it's true!" John snapped. "She just doesn't want to tell you, because you're her _precious Doctor_!" His eyes widened as if he realized what a mistake he made. John's eyes darted over to Rose.

She threw down her napkin and pushed back from the table and ran out of the kitchen. John and the Doctor watched, horrified. He sighed. "You go after her, Doctor. It's you she wants to comfort her. I was an idiot. And I'll be back. But don't-" the next words came out as a plea, "just _don't_." He didn't have to finish, because the Doctor knew what he was asking. Don't take her away from him.

John pushed back from the table and slammed the front door.

He sighed and got up quietly. He walked out into the hallway until he reached a door with a rose on it. Just like the one in the TARDIS. He paused for a moment, tears in his eyes as he realized how much she missed it. The travelling, the TARDIS, and him. He pushed open the door to reveal a heartbreaking sight.

Rose was curled into a ball on the bed, sobbing. Tears and makeup ran down her face, and she was letting out great big sobs. He didn't think. The Doctor just crossed the room and scooped her up into his arms in a second. Rose didn't say a word, she just clung to his neck. He carried her all the way out of the house and into the TARDIS and he didn't stop until he reached his room. He placed her on the bed, and wrapped his arms firmly around her and stroked her hair. Who was he kidding? He needed Rose Tyler, he needed her very much.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thanks for the reviews, write more! :) I feel sorry for Rose as well, like who would you even choose? O.o Thank you also for all the follows/favorites. It helps this writing process soooo much. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Chapter 5- Air You Can't Breathe When She's Around

Rose sniffled in the Doctor's arms for quite a long time, and he was just patient with her. He let her cry it all out. Because really, what else could he do? Finally, after what seemed like two lifetimes, Rose sighed and looked up at him with those gorgeous brown eyes of hers, shining with trapped tears.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly. He mentally slapped himself. _What a stupid question! Of course she wasn't alright, she had just been crying!_ "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "I'm stupid. You were just crying. Of course you're not alright. Is there anything I can do?" The Doctor looked at her nervously, afraid she was going to tell him to leave. And he would do it, if it would make her happy.

Rose giggled at his words and said, "Thank you for trying to comfort me, Doctor. Can we go in the library?"

"The library?" he asked, clearly confused.

"That's where the swimmin' pool is, yeah?"

He simply nodded, his eyes trained on hers for any signal on what this pink and yellow human was thinking.

"Then, we're going to the library!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand between both of hers and dragging him out of the door.

"Rose?" he asked gently, like he was talking to a dangerous animal. "We don't have any bathing suits."

"We don't need 'em!" she said happily, continuing her walk down the TARDIS hallways, until the library door suddenly appeared right in front of them, much closer than the Doctor had ever remembered it.

"I guess we see who's clearly the TARDIS' favorite," he mumbled, to which his ship hummed sympathetically.

Rose laughed and dropped his hand to take off her jeans.

His eyes widened and his hearts stopped. "What are you-" But he was cut off, by her jumping over to him and putting a finger to his lips.

"Shhh. Off with that bowtie, then," she grinned at him cheekily, and he couldn't resist.

He started to shuck the bowtie, his jacket, and the suspenders. "But what about John?" he asked, the words echoing the space in between them. Rose paused with her jeans around her ankles.

"Well, I'll explain later," she sighed, and looked up to give him a wink.

"_Oh_, I think I understand. You're going to _persuade_ him after bed?" he chuckled.

Rose blushed. "Somethin' like that," she mumbled. "Look, I just need a swim to clear my head. I don't have a bathing suit, and we're not goin' skinny dippin', so nothin' to worry about, yeah?"

The Doctor tried not to notice his face fell when she said no skinny dipping. He just nodded, gulping, and trying to remember how to breathe out of his nose. He reached up to take off his shirt, when he was stopped by a soft hand.

"Let me," she protested, her own jeans on the floor. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, and the entire time, the Doctor died and regenerated inside of his mind about three times. He looked at this new skin being exposed to him. Those _legs_. Long and lean and probably soft to the touch. He had to keep himself from reaching out to test that theory.

"All done," she whispered, and he looked down to see she was right. He slipped out of the shirt and tossed it aside.

"Should I?" he gestured at his pants, and she laughed.

"Nah, you can keep those, seeming as how I'm keeping the shirt. Only fair, right?" She grazed his chest with her fingertips.

"Right," he choked out. _Gods, what was this woman doing to him?_

"Come on, Doctor, we're going to do a dive together!" Rose grabbed his hand once more, and he followed her to the edge of the pool. They looked over the side, to stare at the clear water below them. "Is this...heated?" she asked, suddenly sounding nervous.

"Only one way to find out," he grinned, gripping her hand tighter and cannon balling into the water, "_Geronimo!_"

They splashed into the water below, laughing and spluttering with water in their nose.

"What was that you called when we jumped in?"

"It's my new catchphrase," he said defensively.

Rose smiled and reached up to cup his cheek. "I like it."

He looked below the surface and noticed their hands still linked together, but he wasn't going to say anything. He had missed that familiar feeling. She looked at him before speaking again.

"I bet you I can beat you at the best dive!" she challenged, untangling their fingers, and quickly swimming to the pool's edge, to pull herself up.

"I bet you-" but he was interrupted by the sight that greeted him when she pushed herself up. The shirt rose several inches to reveal a curvy backside and light blue knickers. "I-"

"Oi, Doctor, did you lose your breath or somethin'?" she laughed, turning to look at him, and he shook his head to clear his mind once more. "Doctor, you're purple!" she exclaimed, alarmed. "Are you breathing?"

He let in a shaky breath, feeling himself return to normal color. "I'm sorry. Lost myself for a minute there."

"Apparently so," Rose teased, smiling the tongue in teeth smile at him and pulling down the shirt to cover herself once more.

They spent the next half hour laughing and splashing each other, when the Doctor went to grab her to tickle that spot he knew would leave her as breathless as she made him. He didn't mean to do it, really. He accidentally pulled on the shirt, and it rose above her head to expose her bare back. She spun around quickly and covered herself with her arms.

"Give me back my shirt, yeah?" she asked. Just as he was about to give it back, they were interrupted by a voice from the door.

"Yeah, give her back her shirt, now." John glared at the both of them. "I suppose this is your doing, Doctor?"

The Doctor quietly handed Rose her shirt which she hastily tugged over her body and moved to swim to the edge, only to be pulled back by him.

"I thought I told you that you shouldn't be in the TARDIS?" he asked.

"Weeeell, it's a little difficult considering you're swimming half naked with _my_ Rose. When you leave the door unlocked with no note in our flat, and Rose gone, yeah, I'm going to be worried, alright? I thought maybe you had taken her, and we all know what _a big mess that would be!_" John yelled. "Take her to the stars again, and then dump her on my doorstep when you're done with her? No thanks, I'll skip that step and just take her away from you. _Now._" He held out his hand to Rose.

She cleared her throat. "Actually, if we're done with the display of testosterone, it was my idea."

John looked at her, baffled, and the Doctor smirked. "But, Rose, he _hurt_ you."

"I know," she said calmly. "But he also came to comfort me, and I just needed a distraction."

"Let's go to bed, then," he said.

The Doctor kept a firm hold on her behind his back. "She can choose where she wants to go."

"I'm going to bed," she sighed, and swam to the edge to grab John's hand. He immediately entwined their fingers and smirked at him before leading a dripping Rose out of the library, but not without a small sad smile for the Doctor.

The Doctor sighed and got out of the pool. He rubbed his face with his hands and sank beside the edge, groaning. What mess has Rose Tyler gotten him into this time?


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Well, I would really love to mention every name that follow/favorite(d) my story, but that's a lot! Thanks so much! Keep reviewing. Unfortunately, when I move in the next couple weeks, I might be without internet for a few weeks, which means no updates. But I promise to have a lot of new chapters for you guys just waiting for the opportunity to post themselves when the cable guy come out! In the meantime, check out some other stuff I wrote on my account, by all means!

Chapter 6- Smile, or That Thing That Makes You Forget Your Name

The Doctor ate breakfast with Rose and John in the morning. To call it The Most Awkward Breakfast of the Century would be an understatement. She kept looking over and studying him, John would glare at him, and no one was talking. All that could be heard in the kitchen was the scraping of forks against plates as they cleared them of pancakes. The Doctor was entranced with Rose's collarbones. Such lovely collarbones, those. Perfectly shaped and well exposed in her tank top this morning, and the way her hair brushed over them was exquisite.

John cleared his throat and the Doctor's eyes snapped to him. "Rose wants you to go with her to get a wedding present for our friends Dan and Susan." His eyes warily locked on to the Doctor's.

He simply nodded and said, "Okay. And..._you're_ okay with this?"

John sighed. "Not at all, but Rose insisted. Need I say more?"

The Doctor shook his head and went back to pretending to be fascinated at his plate. John finished and got up to leave for work, kissing Rose full on the lips before he went. He tried to ignore the surge of jealousy working it's way to his body. The Doctor clenched his fingers around the fork.

After the door closed, the atmosphere in the entire kitchen changed. Rose's face lit up with a smile and she jumped up. "I'm going to go get ready, yeah? See you soon!"

The Doctor watched her go wistfully, wondering if he could take her with him, just to never have to hear goodbye again.

…

"Right, so, Susan likes flashy, pointless objects. Any suggestions?" she asked the Doctor.

He thought for a moment. "Diamonds?"

"_Hey!_" Rose playfully smacked his arm.

"Oi! What'd you do that for?" he protested.

"Diamonds are not pointless, flashy objects!" she exclaimed.

"Ah, but they are," the Doctor insisted. "For one, diamonds put into jewelry shine very, _very_ brightly, and women stick their diamonds in other women's faces. Flashy. For two, diamonds, to humans are meant to show others their wealth or possession. Why do women wear rings after getting engaged? To show other men she's taken. Pointless. In Gallifrey, women are bonded to a male for life. If another man so much as touches her arm, he's toast. Literally. Marmalade covered and all."

Rose's mouth opened and closed trying to form a comeback, but she came up short. "Exactly, you have nothing to say because I'm right and I'm clever!" the Doctor shouted, causing the store's occupants to turn and stare at them. "Sorry," he apologized.

"So, this bonding…" she started.

"What about it?" he asked curiously.

"How does it happen?"

"When two Gallifreyans are in love and share a pure and completely devoted connection, their minds take over, creating a mental link between them."

"Does it work between a Time Lord and a human?" she blurted out. The Doctor blinked and gaped at her.

"I...uh, well-"

"Never mind," she mumbled, "I didn't mean it." Rose put sudden interest into picking out the worst objects for the couple.

"Hey, tell you what!" the Doctor announced, "You and me, we'll have a contest of who can pick out the worst object."

She agreed and they took off running in opposite directions.

…..

Rose was running towards him, clutching a rather odd looking elephant lamp and smiling widely. Oh, but he had her beat. They stopped in front of her and took his hand from behind his back to reveal a Paul Bunyan tea kettle.

"Okay, you win," she admitted in defeat, placing the lamp on the nearest shelf.

"Told you," he teased.

"Oh, shut up." Rose Tyler smiled a tongue in teeth smile, and he felt himself get lost in this moment.

"I beat Rose Tyler at something!" he declared proudly.

She let out something that sounded like a growl, and pulled the Doctor closer by his jacket, crashing their lips together. Finally, his brain happily sighed. This was beautiful, fantastic, brilliant, and amazing all rolled into one. Her lips were so soft and tasted like jammie dodgers.

He pulled back, breathless for a moment. She smiled, dazzlingly bright, and he doubted if he could even tell you his own name right now. He twirled around in a victory dance of sorts, hands raised in the air. He was about to scream_ I've finally done it, world! I've finally gotten to kiss Rose Tyler and it was the greatest day of my life!_ but stopped mid-circle when John came into view.

He grabbed Rose and jerked her by the arm towards him, and said, "I want you gone, by tonight." I don't care if you have to live on the streets. But you will never be seen anywhere near her again. _Do you understand_?" The last sentence was harsh and threatening, and the Doctor ran out of that store as fast as he could, not even pausing to turn around as Rose called his name.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Okay, I found the Youtube video of this that I saw. watch?v=uuUYCW7mPUU if you put this into the browser, it takes you right to the video. Or Rose is Still Around, if it doesn't show up. I can't decide if I want it to end like that, though. I'm still playing around with ideas in my head. I have to agree that John is acting like a jealous third-grader, but let's take a moment to sympathize, shall we? He still has all the Doctor's memories, so he knows how heartbreaking it is to lose Rose, and he doesn't want that. He's clinging to Rose, because he loves her. He also has human to him, so he gets overly jealous, angry, and things that the Doctor would usually keep under control. John still has some fight to him! It won't be that easy for the Doctor.

Chapter 7- Distance Between You That Makes You Want to Scream

_Well, I've really messed up, haven't I?_ the Doctor thought. He sighed and took a break from the TARDIS work. He still couldn't get her to turn on, which meant he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. His TARDIS was keeping him here indefinitely, and he wanted to scream. He was going the slow way through life, and that wasn't much fun at all.

_It wouldn't be so bad if I could see Rose_, the Doctor told himself. He hadn't noticed almost a week had passed since his regeneration until John forbade him from entering their house. As soon as that had sunken in, all of the minutes, hours, and days had come crashing down on him as a sudden realization.

He kicked the console, frustrated, and yelled, "Why won't you work!?" The TARDIS only hummed consolingly. The doors opened and Rose and John walked in.

"Don't you go anywhere without her?" he muttered, irritated.

"Not since I knew I couldn't trust you."

"I used to trust myself more than anyone in the world," the Doctor said sadly. "Now I'm not so sure."

Rose walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, yeah?"

"No, it's not alright!" he yelled angrily, and Rose jumped, her eyes fearful. "I'm sorry," he murmured to her. "But it's not, because I am normally so controlled, and now one woman has made me forget all of that."

John looked at him, his expression soft. "I know. But you can't have her."

Rose looked appalled. "How dare you!"

His eyes grew wide. "What?"

"Both of you are fightin' over me like teenage boys! Shouldn't I make my own mind up, yeah?"

They both nodded, ashamed. She walked up to the console and stroked it. "Why are you leavin' me with them, hmmm? No other womanly reinforcement?"

John joined her at the console, and asked, "Can I take a look at it?"

"Go ahead," the Doctor agreed. "But there's nothing wrong."

He climbed under the console, tinkering with the wires, while Rose and the Doctor stood across the room from each other. _Why is she so close but so far?_ his mind screamed. After that kiss, he just wanted to hold her all the time. He wanted to hold her hand like old times.

"There's somethin' you should know," she spoke up. His hearts plummeted to his stomach.

"What?"

"I-" But then John came up with a frown on his face.

"I don't understand," he said. "Why won't she turn on?"

"That's what I've been trying to figure out!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Right, weeeell, we have to be going now." He motioned for Rose to follow.

"Wait! Rose, what were you going to say?" he asked.

"Ah, doesn't matter. Tell you some other day," she smiled, and turned to follow John.

"Hold on!" he called, and the pair turned to look at him. "The least I can do is offer lunch? What'dya say?"

"In the TARDIS kitchen?" Rose breathed.

"Yeah." He grinned.

"Alright," John agreed. They walked into the kitchen.

"I want to cook!" Rose announced. She pulled a pan and some spices out of the cabinets and set about preparing lunch.

"What are you making?" the Doctor asked confusedly.

"Chips!" she said grandly, and looked for the potatoes. She was slicing them into wedges and placed them on the pan. She sprinkled them with salt and vinegar. He watched the precise way that she did things, and decided that he liked it. He liked it a lot.

John sat at the table, drumming his fingers, but the Doctor wouldn't sit until Rose did. He leaned against the counter and watched while she worked. She placed the pan into the oven and they both walked to sit down at the table while they waited.

"Smells good already," John said. Rose smiled at him, and it was a smile the Doctor had never seen before. It was a reassuring smile, one that seemed to say everything you needed to know. His brows furrowed as he wondered why he had never seen that smile before. He had seen every smile Rose Tyler ever had, except for this one, it seemed.

"What was _that_?" he demanded. She looked at him, confusion swimming in her eyes.

"What's what?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb with me! You smiled at him!" He realized how stupid that sounded after he said it.

"I...smiled at him?" she teased. "Am I not supposed to do that?"

"Well, no, I-" he spluttered. John smirked at his embarrassment. "It was just a different smile. I'd never seen it before. I was just wondering what it meant."

"I didn't notice," she said vaguely, and went to take the chips out of the oven. The chips were hot and steaming and smelled so nicely. Yeah, Rose Tyler could really cook he decided.

She served them all and they ate in silence. The chips were gobbled up in minutes, and then his metacrisis played a cheap trick. The Doctor knew, because he did it himself when he wanted Rose to cuddle him or pity him.

John wiped up some of the vinegar with his fingers and waited until Rose was looking. He slowly sucked his finger into his mouth, running his tongue along it. "Mmm," he said, locking eyes with her. "_So_ good."

Rose's face flushed, and she mumbled something about being late for tea with her mother. She dragged John out of the kitchen with her, calling goodbye absentmindedly over her shoulder.

"Bye," the Doctor mumbled to the room. So much for that. John had won this round. Actually, he supposed John had won all of these rounds. It was time for the Doctor to step it up a notch, because it was decided that he _definitely_ wanted the girl.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Alright, you guys are all so great I'm going to mention all of you, so bear with. Thank you to Slywolf9, Katen Kat, AngryrPurpleFire, Insert A Cool Username, lilgrumpybear, Binotaurs, LittleLizardLover, The reporter with a gun, , TheWolfAndTheRose99-2, write2staysane, Zarelyn, H3LLOmynameiskibs, Jaenelle Masen, blackstarticket, wanatah1, TheBigBadWolfxTheOncomingStorm, 6, Emerald Alitrex, kunani07, NicNack4U, Gallifreyan927, Athenacat, LieselMargarite, , kazster, Bookworm64, .flower, and JustGoingWithTheWind. If I forgot you, let me know! Review and follow/favorite. This story probably has about another 39 chapters from whenever I sat down and fleshed it out. Some will be sort of short, some will be really long. We still have more cute and more drama to happen. I don't own Doctor Who, the BBC does.

Chapter 8- Bloody Wedding You Have to Attend

The Doctor was interrupted from drinking his tea when Rose walked in. "Hello," he greeted.

"Hi," she said, blowing a piece of hair from her face. He studied her. She was wearing a knee length wine red dress and her hair was half up, the rest in soft curls.

"What's the occasion?" he asked. He knew there was no way Rose ever dressed like this in day-to-day situations.

"John and I have a wedding," she told him. "Dan and Susan's at the beach."

"Have a good time?" he said, confused as to why she was in the TARDIS if she had somewhere that important to be. Not that he was complaining of course, he never minded when Rose was near him.

"I need help," Rose pleaded, and the Doctor's ear perked up.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She sighed and turned her back to face him. "I need you to zip my dress and hook my necklace." She held up her fist, which contained the necklace he guessed.

"Why can't John do it? Doesn't he live for that?" the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"He's part of the groomsmen, and he left already. Please help?" she asked, and he melted.

He walked over to her, and went to zip up the dress. His fingers brushed her bare back and she shivered. He gently zipped it all the way up to the top and traced the hemline on the dress. It was low and showed off her back nicely and he couldn't help but feel how smooth the skin was. Rose handed him the necklace that was curled in her fist. He took the two ends carefully and lifted them over her head. He clasped it together quickly and spun her around.

"Beautiful," he said, and she blushed. "Are you happy?" he asked. "You know, with him?"

She looked at him for a moment and reached her hand up to squeeze his shoulder. "Oh, he's not you."

The Doctor took her hand and kissed it. "I know you'll be the most beautiful girl there. Now go on before they all miss you."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. She walked out of the TARDIS, giving him a wave as she left.

…..

The Doctor went to his room after she left. Seeing her made him want to remember all the other times she had been especially beautiful and he went to take out his photo album. He picked up the bottom of the drawer of his night stand to reveal the secret compartment. Nothing. He frowned. There was only one person that knew where he kept this photo album, and that was himself.

He got angry and stormed over to Rose's flat. He tried the door and it was locked. He took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and unlocked it. He marched up the stairs and threw open the door to their bedroom. He knew there was only one place he would trust it more than his secret compartment and it was his mattress.

The Doctor flipped it over, and sure enough there were pictures scattered all along the springs. Well, if John wanted to play dirty, then he could, too. He walked out of the flat and into the TARDIS and put on his best tuxedo. He even brushed through his hair with his fingers.

He was ready to win the girl.

…..

"Sorry I'm late," the Doctor told the table as he slid into the only empty seat. "Big line in the men's restroom."

The man to the left of him asked, "And you are?"

"Cousin Freddy." He showed him the psychic paper.

Rose leaned over and hissed, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to dance with you," he said simply and grabbed her hand. "How about it?"

Rose agreed and started to follow him. When they got to the dance floor the Doctor waved his arms above him and did a couple whoops. He twirled Rose around and she threw her head back laughing. He looked up to see John glaring at them.

"I see you still can't dance, yeah?" she asked him as he dipped her.

"Oi!" he protested. "What do you call this then?"

"Moving," she teased.

"I am dancing!" he exclaimed.

"I don't believe you. You have to show me."

"Fine," he pouted. "You have to slow dance with me though."

Rose nodded and laughed as she got spun around again.

"You're having an awful lot of fun for not dancing," the Doctor pointed out.

"Because I'm laughing at you," she said.

They were interrupted by John. "Next dance is all mine."

"Uh, actually, John, I told the Doctor I would dance with him," Rose explained.

"Because he's the one you're in love with, okay! I got it!" John shouted and stormed off.

She bit her lip and turned to the Doctor. "I have to go after him. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She took off in the direction John disappeared in. He was left alone on the dance floor and he hung his head. Why couldn't things be more simple?

The Doctor started walking back to Rose's flat, rejected.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Ugh, that last chapter was so horrible. I have to stop writing when I'm about to go to bed, it makes me want to rush. Don't think I've forgotten about Jackie! She's coming to this story in a few chapters. As always, I don't own Doctor Who or Great Expectations.

Chapter 9- Insanity in the Form of the Doctor

Things had been sort of quiet around the TARDIS for the last few days after the wedding. Of course with John being especially upset at the Doctor now, Rose wasn't allowed to see him one bit. He had taken to reading in the library and redecorating his ship for when she was going to let him travel again.

But his luck was changing. John was going away on business. He saw him go to the car with a bunch of suitcases and kiss Rose on the lips.

"See you in a week! Miss you!" she called. As soon as the car left the driveway, she went into her own car to leave for work. The Doctor watched her pull out of the driveway, biting her lip in concentration.

_I just want to bite that lip for her_, the Doctor thought, and then shook his head. _What was coming over him?_ That kiss was turning him into an entirely different alien. He thought that maybe he could take his mind off of Rose Tyler by reading his first edition Great Expectations again. Nothing like a little Charles Dickens to start the day.

He walked into the library and pulled it from on of the shelves. He sat down in his favorite large armchair and rested his head on the armrest, kicking his feet out from the sides. The Doctor started to read.

_My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip._

_I give Pirrip as my father's family name, on the authority of his tombstone and my sister - Mrs. Joe Gargery, who married the blacksmith. As I never saw my father or my mother, and never saw any likeness of either of them (for their days were long before the days of photographs), my first fancies regarding what they were like, were unreasonably derived from their tombstones. The shape of the letters on my father's, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair. From the character and turn of the inscription, "Also Georgiana Wife of the Above," I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly. To five little stone lozenges, each about a foot and a half long, which were arranged in a neat row beside their grave, and were sacred to the memory of five little brothers of mine - who gave up trying to get a living, exceedingly early in that universal struggle - I am indebted for a belief I religiously entertained that they had all been born on their backs with their hands in their trousers-pockets, and had never taken them out in this state of existence._

_Ours was the marsh country, down by the river, within, as the river wound, twenty miles of the sea. My first most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things, seems to me to have been gained on a memorable raw afternoon towards evening. At such a time I found out for certain, that this bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyard; and that Philip Pirrip, late of this parish, and also Georgiana wife of the above, were dead and buried; and that Alexander, Bartholomew, Abraham, Tobias, and Roger, infant children of the aforesaid, were also dead and buried; and that the dark flat wilderness beyond the churchyard, intersected with dykes and mounds and gates, with scattered cattle feeding on it, was the marshes; and that the low leaden line beyond, was the river; and that the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing, was the sea; and that the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry, was Pip._

_"Hold your noise!" cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves at the side of the church porch. "Keep still, you little devil, or I'll cut your throat!"_

_A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin._

_"O! Don't cut my throat, sir," I pleaded in terror. "Pray don't do it, sir."_

_"Tell us your name!" said the man. "Quick!"_

The Doctor sighed and closed the book. He usually found himself caught up in the plot, but today it was just dull. Everything was dull to him without Rose. He was desperate to see her. And then he remembered something Rose had told him a long time ago when she was still travelling with him.

"_When I was a shop girl, I used to go to the Lager's Park and eat my lunch. It was nice and peaceful, and no one would bother me._"

He wondered if the same was true even with Rose living in a parallel world and working for a very different place. Well, he was about to find out.

…..

He was studying her while she ate. She ate her sandwich and chips so meticulously and wiped her fingers on her pencil skirt every few bites, a habit carried over from her Powell Estate days. There was a nice breeze that blew her hair around her face and it caught the sunlight, glowing bright golds. She looked so at peace here, he didn't know if he could bring himself to disturb her.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, he called her from the cell phone Martha had given him. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" Rose answered.

"Rose, it's me," the Doctor said.

"Doctor? How are you calling me? The TARDIS is down."

"D'you remember Martha?" he asked her. She fiddled with her jacket while he talked.

"Martha Jones?"

"Yeah. Well, she gave me a cell phone so she could keep in touch with me," he replied.

Rose laughed at that. "The Doctor with Earth technology. To what do I owe this call, then?"

"I was wondering if you remembered the chips stand we went to when I was in my ninth form and it was after we saw the Earth die."

"Of course I do," Rose said. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to meet there? Have a bite to eat and chat?" He crossed his fingers.

"Your voice sounds so close," she said. "Why does it sound so close?"

The Doctor sighed and said, "Did you really think I wouldn't be watching you with John gone? I couldn't resist."

"Where are you?" She stood and up and spun around.

"Look to your left," he instructed. They locked eyes and he smiled and waved. "I'll be waiting." He hung up and she walked over to him.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"It's been killing me to live in your backyard and not be able to see you or talk to you, Rose. I had to do something."

"But how did you know I come to this park for lunch?" Rose asked, her brows furrowed.

"You said something about it when we travelled together. Just a lucky guess."

"I'm not supposed to see you, John said I can't," she mumbled.

"John isn't here, is he?" the Doctor asked and stepped closer to cup her cheek.

"No," she whispered and placed her hand over his.

"So, chips, yeah?" he asked.

"That depends, are you payin'?" Rose teased.

"I suppose I am. My turn, isn't it?"

…..

The two of them sat at a picnic bench eating their chips silently. Rose spoke first.

"Do you never listen to what John says?" she asks, although he knows she knows what his answer will be.

"No. Well, I try. It's just, he's my metacrisis, and it feels a little like your child telling you what to do."

She giggled. "I guess I never thought about it like that."

"I _missed_ you," he says. "Oh, Rose, being away from you these past couple days has been even worse than when I left you on Bad Wolf Bay. When you were gone, all I wanted was to see you. And then by some unknown reason, the TARDIS gives me another chance by landing in your garden. I _kissed_ you, and now I can't have you all to myself."

Rose took his hand. "I know how you feel, believe me, I do. But you left me, here, with him. So, it's your own fault. You shoulda thought about it before you left me here."

"Don't you_ miss_ the TARDIS at least?" he asked her.

"I miss you, definitely. I miss the TARDIS and I miss travelin'. But I have John now that I have to take care of, I just can't go wanderin' off like I want to."

"But why not?" the Doctor demands. "If you want to, you can just go, with me, today."

"I believe you told me I needed to take care of him, or else he was going to turn into your old self, only worse with no one to stop him."

"I could have been wrong," he said hoarsely.

She smiled sadly. "I don't think so. You can see it sometimes. The underlying rage that used to course through your eyes all the time. He tries to cover it up with happy things, but I can spot it. I used to spot it in you."

"Do you want to know why I asked you to travel with me the second time?" he asked.

"Yes," Rose said, squeezing his hand tightly.

"I knew there was something special about you, Rose Tyler. I knew I needed you to come with me. I have never regretted coming back for you, and I never will."


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Sorry it's taken me so long on this update, guys! I've been busy and these classes until 9 o' clock have been tiring me out. I figured I should post a couple chapters today since we'll be moving next week, and no guarantee when the internet will be back up D: Without further ado, the Jackie chapter I promised!

Chapter 10- Pride That Keeps You From Telling Him How You Feel

The Doctor was interrupted from his reading by a loud knock on the library door. He looked up to see John standing in the doorframe, looking very pale and haggard. He tried to look into John's mind to see what had him so disorientated, but the metacrisis had put up some strong mental blocks, probably to discourage the Doctor from doing just that.

"Are you alright?" he asked John.

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Listen, can you do something for me?"

A sinking feeling came over the Doctor. "What is it?" he asked suspiciously.

"I want you to come out to lunch with me, no Rose, just you and me. I feel like it's time we had a heart to heart."

"You mean heart to hearts," he tried to joke, but his laughter came out flat. "I don't know…"

"Please," the metacrisis said. "I promise I won't try to punch you or anything like that. Just the small cafe up the street, eh?"

The Doctor reluctantly agreed. John couldn't really do much worse to him, after making Rose cut all contact to him.

"Thanks." He looked genuine when he said that, so the Doctor offered a smile to him.

"What time?" he asked.

"About an hour, it's called The Lone Wolf," John said and walked out of the library without another word.

…..

The Doctor walked into the small cafe John had mentioned earlier and looked around for the metacrisis. He spotted him at a booth in the corner staring serenely out of the window. Almost as if he had sensed the other's presence, he looked up and waved the Doctor over.

_Now or never_, he told himself. He at least owed John this much, after all the trouble he had caused to his life. If only they would have never gotten into the Dalek fleet, and if only Donna would have gotten out, he would have never had to thrust his metacrisis into this alternative universe with a woman that still loved the Doctor more than the copy._ It wasn't really his fault_, he tried to argue in his head. How could he not expect even a small piece of him to fall in love with the beautiful Rose Tyler? What had he been thinking?

I was thinking I would give Rose a gift, he said bitterly. Look how well that turned out.

The Doctor had reached the booth and he sat across from John, studying the man's features. He looked exactly like his Tenth form, as to be expected, but there were some things he did that were exactly Donna. Like the way he fiddled with the napkin holder when he didn't want to talk, the avoiding of the eyes so the Doctor couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

"You are like her in so many ways," he said.

John looked up, surprise in his face. "Are you talking about Donna?"

He nodded. "You may look exactly like my previous regeneration, but sometimes you do something that is so uniquely human, I know that has to come from her."

"Are you sure you just haven't noticed that Rose has changed you into something more human? I have your memories. I've seen the things you've done."

The Doctor pondered what John had said. "Perhaps. I never really thought about it."

A young woman with a waitress apron tied around her waist and a pad of paper in her hand came over. "Are we ready to order?" she asked.

The Doctor nodded, and John said, "Yeah."

The waitress pulled a pen out of one of the pockets in her apron and had it poised to start jotting down their order.

"What's good?" the Doctor asked.

"I usually get the burger and chips, with a Coke," the waitress replied, smacking her gum really loudly.

"Sounds good," the Doctor smiled, and the waitress blushed.

"And for you, sir?" She turned towards John.

"I'll have the same."

She nodded and scribbled, and then walked away from the booth.

"Do you and Rose come here a lot?" he asked the metacrisis.

"You can tell by the name, eh?" John grinned.

"As soon as you told me," he laughed.

The waitress returned with the sodas, and the Doctor got up abruptly. "I'm going to go ask about bendy straws! They make the Coke so fizzy and bubbly!" He sprinted off like a small child on Christmas.

…

Jackie Tyler was sitting in the booth. The Jackie Tyler, Rose's mother. The one that slapped the Doctor across the face the first time he came back with Rose. He rubbed his cheek from the memory and frowned. Time to go. He was about to turn around when Jackie noticed him.

"Oi, Doctor! Come 'ere then!" she called out.

He groaned and walked into the booth. Sliding as far down as he could go, without hitting the floor and placing his straw in the Coke.

"Sit up, Doctor. No reason for ya to be on the floor."

He reluctantly sat up and Jackie proceeded to slap him across the face, hard. He rubbed his stinging cheek, water in his eyes and said, "I see you still got it, Jackie."

John laughed loudly, and the Doctor glared at the traitor.

Jackie looked at him and said, "Now then. We're going to get some answers, Doctor."

…..

The waitress had returned with the food, and their plates were now empty.

"So, how did you know who I was?" the Doctor asked Jackie. "I've regenerated since you saw me!"

"Rose has told me all about this new Doctor and his floppy hair-" the Doctor clutched his new hair protectively- "and how he looks the same, but different. Besides, I'd know you anywhere even with a new face, because you always do things a little odd, and don't blend in with normal people. Even John 'ere, Rose had to teach 'im some human things."

The Doctor turned on John next. "Why would you bring Jackie here? You know how we feel about her!"

Jackie glared at John and he just shrugged. "I promise it's for a good reason, Doctor."

"I'm just here to talk to ya about my little girl, Doctor," Jackie said. "And to tell ya this: Straighten your mind out before ya come around 'er again. She's very confused, and you're not makin' this any better for 'er."

John excused himself to pay for the tab and the Doctor visibly relaxed a bit and stretched across the booth seat.

Jackie leaned closer to the Doctor and spoke quietly, "Truth is, Doctor, Rose still loves ya."

His hearts swelled at that.

"But if you're gonna take 'er again, you gotta make a decision, because my Rose isn't gonna be strung along like that anymore, and I'll make sure of that. You're a good man, Doctor. I know that. I've seen it in the way you look at Rose, oh, and don't start to say what way you look at Rose, 'cause I can see that mouth of yours about to cover up those big 'earts. Just promise you'll be more sensitive to John. I don't know if you noticed, but 'e's been a big wreck over this whole thing. Even if you are competin' for the same woman, remember that he's still like ya in a lot of ways. He's might possessive, and so that carries over in his actions towards other men sometimes. You two are like bulls fightin' over Rose. Neither of you wants to let go. But one of you has to. John and Rose useta have problems when you first left. Rose kept screamin' at him that 'e wasn't the Doctor and she didn't want him near 'er. You shoulda seen his face, heartbreakin' the poor thing. He was so patient, though. He never gave up until she trusted 'im. He's very scared of losing what he's worked so hard for. But he loves her, and he wants her to be happy. Even, I think, if that meant losing her to you. Just go easy on him, alright?"

The Doctor nodded, and John came back over to the booth. "Ready to go then?"

He nodded and they waved goodbye to Jackie and left the diner. They were silent for most of the walk until John spoke.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," the Doctor agreed.

"What exactly are your feeling for Rose? I want to know."

The Doctor thought. Oh, he loved her. But it was more than that, really. And how did he out that into words? It would be a disgrace to her. Finally he said, "I just really like her. She's special."

John looked at him carefully for a moment before just nodding and continuing to walk down the street.

AN: Well, things are going to be heating up pretty soon. Lots of sobbing and yes! moments coming up I think. DOCTOR, WHY CAN'T YOU TELL PEOPLE YOUR FEELINGS FOR ROSE? And also, I don't really know if the Doctor can read people's thoughts like if he's gotten close, or they are part of him. I've read it in a few fanfics and decided to put it here. So, please don't hate me!


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Thanks for the story follow/favorites: CaskettTardisFan and dancingwolf88. I hope everyone continues to enjoy the story! Reviews are nice as well :) This chapter is going to be pretty angsty, as a warning. I don't own Doctor Who or any of the characters unfortunately. I would enjoy a Doctor or Rose.

Chapter 11- Envy Over Something You Will Never Have

The Doctor was finally determined to get some sleep. He had only slept a few days out of the month he had been in Pete's World, because he had been busy working on the TARDIS, and because he just didn't need it. However, after the past week's events, he was physically and mentally exhausted, and maybe sleeping would be better than reading and trying not to think all night.

He stroked the console gently and said, "Goodnight, old girl. I hope you're better soon." He smiled fondly and walked into his bedroom. A pair of fresh pajamas waited on his bed and his changed into them. Very comfy. He climbed into the sheets and pulled them up all the way to his chin. _This is will be the best sleep I've ever had_, he told himself determinedly. The Doctor closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

…

He awoke in a cold sweat. This time it wasn't a Time War dream that had woken him up, it was a dream about Bad Wolf Bay. He thought those were worse now. He tried to calm his racing hearts by thinking that she was close to him now, and maybe it was his grogginess and anxiety that convinced him to go into Rose's flat and watch her sleeping form like he used to when he had bad dreams.

Of course, he had also crawled in next to her and stroked her hair, but that obviously was no longer an option. The Doctor picked up his sonic from the nightstand and walked out of the TARDIS into the cool night. Winter was coming faster now than it had at Thanksgiving. He knew that if he had been a human, he would have been shivering even in the long pajamas.

The Doctor walked quickly over to the front door and soniced his way into the flat. He climbed the stairs until he reached the doorknob with the rose engraved on it and opened it quietly.

Rose looked so peaceful in her sleep. Her eyelashes softly fluttered from her dreams and her chest moved up and down slowly with her breathing. The Doctor allowed his eyes to encompass John as well and he looked at them together enviously. The metacrisis got the simple life with his Rose, while he was cursed to be alone among the stars until all of his regenerations ran out. He was the one Rose promised to spend forever with, even though he knew somewhere in his mind that that couldn't be true. How could they be so content with domestics? What did they have that he was missing? If the metacrisis was created from him and Donna, he would have the same restless spirit, and Rose should have as well.

What would have happened if Rose had happened? Would she have asked him to do domestics? Would he have been okay with it? No, he decided, Rose would never ask that of him. She knew he loved to travel, and she had been okay with that. They would have travelled the stars forever together.

The Doctor smiled at the sleeping couple. He tried to imagine the first time John had innocently suggested they sleep in the same bed together. Rose had probably given him the famous Tyler slap. He had to keep himself from laughing out loud at the thought of it.

But then he thought of Rose telling the metacrisis that he wasn't the Doctor and that she didn't love him, for him to get away from her and not touch her. He thought of how he would feel if Rose ever told him that, and his hearts ached for John as he pictured it. It hurt too much. And yet, John had kept on, never giving up hope, until Rose had let him in. He gained new respect for the metacrisis and for himself, knowing that he would do the same, and only for his Rose.

Rose suddenly turned to face John's chest and the sheet slipped down, exposing her naked back. The Doctor gasped as he realized what a private moment he had intruded on. He couldn't let the jealousy course through him, because John deserved her more than himself. He looked over at the nightstand, to see a framed picture. It was of Rose smiling and laughing at the camera, and she looked so happy.

The Doctor grabbed it without a second thought and ran from the room, trying to hold himself together. He sank into his bed, still clutching the photo in his hands. It was there that he finally allowed himself to let go and he cried well into the night, tears splashing on the glass frame.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: HAHA, I think I have a problem because I like angst. Is that an actual problem? I don't know. I'm sorry for the last chapter. But the next few will be sort of happy, so that's good right?

Chapter 12- Scars That You Left

The Doctor must have fallen asleep sometime in the night, because he opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through the TARDIS windows. He looked at the picture of Rose still clutched in his hands, and his cheeks flushed after thinking about last night. He should probably go return this, but he should wait for John to leave for work first.

He tiredly rubbed his eyes and placed the photo on the bed next to him. He placed his fingers to his temples and rocked back and forth for a few minutes. Finally he heard the sound of a car pulling out, and he walked over to the window and peered out. Sure enough, John's SUV was driving down the street.

The Doctor sighed and ran his hands through his hair nervously. He picked up the photo and walked out of the TARDIS. The air outside was still, almost as if anticipating how this situation could go. He wasn't even sure how Rose would react.

He breathed deeply and rapped firmly on the door. He didn't have to wait long before he heard footsteps growing closer and then stopping to open the door.

"Hello, Doctor, what is this then?" Rose asked him, looking bemusedly at him still in pajamas.

"I'm ah-" he thought carefully about his words, "I'm making a house call. Trying to do the human thing!"

She laughed at him, saying, "You could never be human, and that is one of the reasons I fell in love with you." Rose looked down at his hands clutching the photo. "What is that?"

"A photo of you," he mumbled.

"Oh, is that where that went?" she asked, amused.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep last night, and I wasn't thinking." He handed her the photo sheepishly.

She looked at him curiously.

"Rose, is what everyone's been saying true? Were you really that bad after I left?" The Doctor stepped closer to her.

"Yeah."

He suddenly needed to hear her side of the story, he needed to hold her and stroke her cheek. "Can I...come in?" he asked.

Rose thought for a moment, and he was almost certain she was going to say no. "Yeah, please." She moved out of the doorway and opened her arm inviting him inside. He collapsed into her chest and breathed in her scent desperately.

"Maybe we should move into the living room, yeah?" she asked gently, and led him by the hand to the couch.

"I'm so sorry, Rose. For everything. I-can you tell me something?" he asked.

"What?" she asked.

"I want you to tell me exactly how you felt when I left you at Bad Wolf Bay, the first and the second time. Please," the Doctor whispered hoarsely.

Rose looked at him, concerned. "But Doctor-"

"No, I need to hear it. From your lips," he insisted.

She sighed deeply, and fiddled with her thumbs for a moment before beginning. "The first time, it was the worst day of my life. After I had promised to spend forever with you, the universe was determined to rip us apart, and I had no way to get back to you. I wouldn' get outta bed for days, I wouldn' eat, I wouldn' sleep. Mom was so worried about me, and she finally comes in one day, all determined, and yanks the cover and says, 'Rose Marion Tyler, you get your arse outta this bed! The Doctor would want ya to live your life, not die in bed!' and I knew she was right, so I got up. Pete got me a job at Torchwood and I helped them work on the dimension cannon. I spent a year lookin' for you. I met Donna right before she went to travel with you, and told her mom about some keys she left. I met her a few other times when she had that thing on her back and convinced her to sacrifice herself so the previous version of her would be travellin' with you still. I held her while she died, and I whispered the message of bad wolf in her ear, so you'd know I was comin' soon. And then I saw you finally, and just before I reached you, a Dalek shot you. I thought I was gonna lose you after all that time I spent lookin' for you, but you stopped regenerating. We didn't really get a proper hello," Rose took a shaky breath and the Doctor looked at her.

His Rose had grown so old since he last saw her. She didn't look like the same pink and yellow human girl he had stolen away at nineteen. She was there somewhere, but he had forced her into this appearance. His hearts broke.

"The second time," she continued, and his eyes were riveted to her face, "I was angry. You left me without a choice, after I spent all that time looking for you, and you left me with a metacrisis to care for. One that I had no clue about, he was like a stranger. The only thing that made it better was he still had your memories and he could comfort me by telling me stories of your travels up until you regenerated. I wouldn't let him touch me after the kiss that distracted me from you leaving for a while, but he slowly built up my trust. I let him in. We've been together ever since."

The Doctor pulled her closer to him and he leaned his forehead up against hers. "I'm so, so sorry. I was so stupid. I had no idea." He repeated these phrases like a mantra.

"It's in the past now," she whispered. "Or whatever wibbly-wobbly stuff."

He smiled slightly at his description of time to her. He leaned in and before he could regret it, he kissed her passionately.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: I'm probably going to get a lot of crap for this chapter, but I'm sorry already xD I researched how to down a shot of tequila, so I hope I got that right at least. I hope you enjoy! I don't own le Doctor Who~

Chapter 13- Have You Ever Had Fun?

The Doctor was throughly enjoying a DVD of The Breakfast Club that Donna had left in the TARDIS when he was interrupted by locks of golden hair in his face. He looked up to see it was none other than Rose Tyler, wearing hardly anything. Well, he supposed he should clarify. She was wearing _something_ alright, and that was a _very_ short,_ very_ tight sparkly black dress.

"Aren't you going to freeze in that?" he asked her.

"I have tights on, and I'm going to bring a jacket," Rose told him.

"Where are you going?" the Doctor asked.

"Weeell, John's gone for the night with some of his guy friends, and I was thinking, I don't know if the Doctor has ever had any_ proper_ fun."

"Proper fun!" the Doctor exclaimed, wounded. "I have fun all the time!"

"Have you ever gotten drunk, Doctor?" she teased.

"No," he said nervously, "But I've had a banana daiquiri."

"Are you talking about that thing you invented centuries too early at the party for Madame Du Pompadour?" she pouted, and he remembered how Rose had felt about the woman. He suddenly wanted to make her smile again, and forget all about the bad memory.

"Nah, a different time!" he exclaimed a little too loudly, like when he was lying.

She smirked at him, and said, "I'm not dressed like this for nothin'. You and me are gonna get drinks, come on!" Rose pulled on the Doctor's hand and led him out of the TARDIS.

"You're not possibly going out in public like_ that_!" he spluttered. "There's going to be millions of guys all over you!"

"I suppose you're just goin' to haveta protect me then, yeah?" she teased, smiling her tongue in teeth smile.

The Doctor groaned. "Rose Tyler, you're going to be the death of me."

They arrived at a bar called Rosewater Rickey. The Doctor was about fed up with these jokes.

"Really? We're going to a bar with Rose and Rickey in it?" he asked her.

"It's a good bar!" she defended. "And it's the name of a drink. It's merely a coincidence, my dear Doctor." She looped her arm through his and he forgot everything as he felt the warmth of her body against his side.

As predicted, every male eye was on Rose. He gritted his teeth to keep himself from blowing the place up._ No, tonight was supposed to be fun for Rose_. He had to keep the jealousy under control.

She sat them at the bar on two little stools and called the bartender over. "I need two shots of whiskey, please, for me and my friend here."

The bartender's eyebrows rose as he landed on the Doctor. "This being your friend?"

"Yeah."

The bartender shrugged and poured the alcohol into two shot glasses and passed the glasses to them.

Rose instructed the Doctor to down it in one gulp when she counted to three and he nodded in agreement.

"One, two, _three_!" she shouted and he downed the shot glass. _Oh,_ that was revolting. He spit it out, and Rose laughed at him.

"I don't think whiskey is really my thing," he said.

"I think not either," she laughed. "Two banana daiquiris," she asked the bartender.

The drinks slid across the counter to him. The Doctor eyed his warily as if deciding whether this one would taste horrible like the whiskey.

"Go on, then. You said you liked those, yeah?" Rosed asked.

He took a sip. _Mmm, that was better._ Banana-y and frothy. Barely detectable alcohol. He drank it down in a few gulps.

"That was better!" he exclaimed.

"Do you wanna try something different?" she asked him. "I think this will be better because you can chase it with lime."

"What is it?" the Doctor asked curiously.

Rose didn't answer she just ordered a plate of lime wedges, a bottle of tequila, and a salt shaker from the bartender. She set them out carefully between the two of them. He looked at her curiously, wondering how all of these objects related to each other, and she started to explain.

"You lick the skin between your thumb and forefinger-"

The Doctor copied what she said.

"-sprinkle the salt on the skin-"

He took the salt shaker and carefully shook some on the skin he just licked.

"-hold the lime in between your thumb and forefinger-"

He took a lime wedge from the plate and did like she said.

"-lick the salt, down the shot, and bite the lime all in one fluid movement," she finished.

The Doctor took a deep breath and did like she instructed. The tequila burned for a moment, but the lime did help like she said. It was a good kind of burn, he decided.

"You can't taste the liquor as strongly," he said to her, "it's better that way."

Rose downed a shot and smiled at him. They took turns for a few minutes downing the alcohol and lime until only one wedge remained.

"Who getsa th' last one?" he asked Rose, feeling very funny in the head.

"You can have it, if ya want," she laughed. "I think you're very drunk."

"I think you are right," he agreed, "and very bea-beau-pretty. I couldn' think of that other word."

She giggled.

"Hey, I have an idea!" he shouted excitedly.

"What's that?" Rose asked, amused.

The Doctor leaned forward and licked Rose's neck very slowly.

"Doctor, what-" she started, but was interrupted by him sprinkling salt on the area. He gently kissed her neck and sucked the salt from it. Before she could pull him up and kiss him hard, he sat up with a waggle of his eyebrows and downed the shot with the lime. Rose kissed him full on the mouth and when they pulled away, she pulled it from between her teeth.

"Haha, we shared, Rose! You got lime in your teeth!"

She shrugged and placed the rind on the plate. "Let's go dance." She grabbed the Doctor's hand and led him to the dance floor.

They danced for a little while, and Rose kept kissing him. Maybe it was the alcohol or how Rose made him feel, but the Doctor was getting a warm feeling in his chest and he wanted to hold her close to him and not let go. He pulled her against him and he could feel her dress riding up her leg.

The Doctor couldn't help but look down. He could see right down the dress. He gasped, and pulled her tighter, so no one else could see, and Rose took that as an invitation to dance on him.

She moved her hips and his hands automatically went down to match her movements, and he felt himself copying her. Rose leaned up and kissed his ear before whispering, "Let's go back to the TARDIS. I better get you home."

They arrived stumbling all over the control room and giggling.

"You've never entertained me in the bedroom before," Rose giggled. "Can you now?"

"With pleasure, my Rose!" The Doctor grabbed her hand and they ran to the bedroom door.

"I'll be right back," Rose promised and walked into the bathroom.

_It was so hot in here,_ he thought to himself._ Was the air no longer working?_ He shed his coat and his bowtie, and after some careful thinking the rest of his clothes._ But I don't want to embarrass Rose,_ he thought. So he slipped under the covers.

He stretched his arms and waited for the girl to come out. She opened the bathroom door and walked out, with no dress on._ So much for embarrassment_, he mused. The Doctor held out his arms for Rose and she climbed into bed next to him.

There was some reason in the back of his mind why this shouldn't happen, but his heart was to overjoyed to let him remember. He pulled Rose against his chest and gasped at the feeling of her skin against his. She leaned up to kiss him, and their tongues collided with each other. His hands went to her hair, and he started stroking it. His shaking hands slid further down to caress her collarbones, all fumbling and nervousness, not wanting to mess this up.

"Doctor," she whispered, pulling away from the kiss.

"What is it, Rose?" he asked, eager to go back to kissing her lips.

"Can we make love?" she murmured, her cheeks flushing at the idea.

The Doctor looked at her, with the gentlest eyes he could muster, and cradled her head in his hands. He pulled her against his chest and whispered, "Of course we can, my Rose."


	14. Chapter 14

AN: This chapter is really small, and some of them will be. But it just seemed like a good place to leave this chapter off on. Enjoy as always! And remember to review, favorite, and follow :)

Chapter 14- Angels Named Rose Tyler

The Doctor was woken by the sunlight streaming through his window and a pounding headache. He groaned and turned to face the other way only to find something was laying on his chest, or rather someone.

He opened his eyes to see Rose's bare skin pressed against his. He smiled and kissed a trail down her shoulder, and he could feel her starting to rouse.

"Mmm, morning," she mumbled.

He stroked her hair and said, "The sunlight makes your hair glow. It makes you look like an angel." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I don't usually do things like this," she said to him.

"Me neither, but I'm glad we did. I could lay here all day."

Rose smiled and snuggled into his chest.

"I'm going to go make tea and find us the hangover pills, alright?"

"How do you have hangover pills if you've never gotten drunk?" Rose asked confusedly.

"My companions," he said, and slipped out of the bed reluctantly in search of his pants. He found them and slipped them on, looking at Rose one more time before walking out of the room.

"Oh, yeah, this is a lot better," Rose said, clutching her mug of tea after she swallowed a hangover cure.

"Told ya," he teased, sipping his own tea. "What do you want to do today?"

Rose cleared her throat and set down the mug. "Actually, John called me while you were in the Med Bay, Doctor, he'll be here in an hour."

"Oh, I had forgotten that I am just the mistress," the Doctor replied cooly.

"Doctor, you know it's not like that!"

"Then what is it like, Rose? Tell me, because I don't understand! I thought you loved me. You said, make love to me last night, didn't you? And now you're just going to go back to him like nothing ever happened? Where was he last night anyways?"

"I told you, with his friends. He said they got carried away and he spent the night with Rick so he didn't have to risk driving home drunk. And it's a good thing he didn't come back last night, or he would have seen the mistake."

"The mistake!" The Doctor roared. He felt like he had just been slapped. "You have to choose between the two of us, Rose. Now."

"I can't." Rose pushed the chair away and ran out of the TARDIS.

He remembered when she left why they shouldn't have made love. The leaving was so much harder.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Thanks to jojochappers for the follow, and to PeacePinkSeddie for the reviews. I agree with the poor Doctor! I don't hate Tentoo either, and the way I was reasoning with myself earlier before Chapter 13 was that he wasn't "really" the Doctor, and the Doctor and Rose were meant for each other. You can't tell me that when Eleven regenerated not one single part of his feelings for Rose went into that. Maybe he's better at hiding them or has other more important things, but come on. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 15- Sky as Far as You Can See

The Doctor calmed down considerably in a few hours and decided he should go apologize. He sighed and straightened his bowtie. He walked out of the TARDIS, and stood on Rose's doorstep to knock on the door. Right before his hand could reach the door, however, John opened the door.

"Oh! Hello, Doctor. Rose doesn't feel much in the mood for visitors today." He searched his face for any signs that the Doctor was the cause of it.

He ran his hands through his hair. "Could you just tell her to come here, please? I have to talk to her."

John nodded slowly and said, "Be right back." The door shut in his face and he paced up and down the steps while he waited. Finally, he heard some muttering on the other side of the door and it opened to reveal Rose.

"What?" she asked sulkily.

John looked between the two of them bemusedly and the Doctor gave him a pointed look to ask for privacy. He nodded in understanding and backed out of the hallway.

"I want to talk to you, Rose. Please. I want to do it alone. Just please have lunch with me? I promise no getting you to choose stuff." He pleaded with the saddest eyes he could imagine, and Rose melted.

"Fine." She sighed, and moved to shut the door. "Just give me an hour, and I'll meet you in the garage."

The Doctor nodded and turned to walk down the steps.

…..

_This was a stupid idea_, he thought to himself. He stared down at the picnic basket clutched in his hand. What if Rose got the wrong idea? He just wanted to have a nice lunch somewhere private, and do something nice for her in turn. _Time to suck up_, he told himself.

Rose appeared in the garage, her coat zipped all the way up and she managed a half smile at the Doctor. "Ready to go then?"

He nodded and walked over to the car. "You know, I've never understood the fascination with cars."

"It's the human way of bein' able to travel among the stars," she told him.

"It's better the real way," he said matter-of-factly.

"True, but they don't know that," Rose reminded him. She turned the key in the ignition and the Doctor got in the car. He buckled his seatbelt and she buckled hers. "Where are we going?"

The Doctor thought about that. "Surprise me." He took her hand in his, the most natural thing in the world to them, and they stayed that way for the entire drive.

…

Rose and the Doctor ended up at a small park overlooking a lake, which he led her over to, skipping and laughing merrily the entire time. This far along into the winter, no parents and children were over here to interrupt. In fact, the entire park was almost completely deserted.

"So, where are we?" he asked her curiously.

"Mansfield Park," Rose answered. "Mum used to take me here all the time when I was little." She smiled at the memory and leaned back onto her arms.

The Doctor unpacked the basket of food he had brought. He had made a simple pasta salad, fresh bread, and some blueberry muffins, which Rose had once expressed a fondness for to him.

"Did you buy these?" she asked him amusedly.

"I made them," he said, nonchalantly, grabbing the forks and napkins from the basket.

"You what?" she asked, laughing. "Should I be worried they might contain green goo or somethin'?"

"Oi!" the Doctor protested. "I can cook, thanks!"

"How come I've never seen it then?" Rose teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Well, I used to cook all the time on Gallifrey, it was just more convenient and quicker for the TARDIS to whip up some food when we were travelling."

"But what about John?" she frowned. "He's never cooked either."

"Have you ever asked him?" he asked her pointedly.

"Well, I s'pose not," she mumbled.

They ate together in content silence, until Rose said, "Mmmph! These muffins are so good!" Crumbs fell out of her mouth, and the Doctor couldn't help but laugh.

"Apparently not. They are falling out of your mouth."

Rose blushed with embarrassment and wiped her mouth on a napkin. "I'm sorry. But seriously, you're very good at cooking."

They leaned back against the blanket to look at the clouds, and the Doctor took Rose's hand in his again.

"I love cloud watching," he told her. "It's very peaceful, don'tcha think?"

Rose agreed and reached her pointer finger to the sky to point out a cloud. "That funny shaped one looks like a Dalek, don't ya think?"

The Doctor traced her line of vision until he spotted the weirdly shaped cloud. "Yeah. A bit." He searched the sky for more familiar shapes. "What about_ that_ one over there?" He pointed to an oblong shape. "It's most definitely a banana."

Rose laughed, the wonderful sound filling his ears. "Count on you to find the only banana shaped cloud." She suddenly became very serious before asking, "Doctor, did you have any companions since you left me with John?"

"Rose, you know I haven't. I regenerated and then fell straight into your garden."

"I know, but there was at least a month between the time John felt you regenerate and the day you appeared into my life again," she told him.

"Can you tell me about what it was like for him?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"Only if you first tell me about at least one adventure you had with this Martha Jones character. She fancied you once, I think."

"Oh, aren't you a clever one?" he said more to himself than to Rose. "I suppose I can tell you how we met. You see, it was a few weeks after the worst day of my life, and I was walking down an ordinary Earth street. I was on my way to a hospital called Royal Hope Hospital in London, because I had detected something off about it, but I wasn't quite certain. While I was walking, I noticed a woman on her cell phone. She seemed to be annoyed at whoever she was speaking to, but it was obvious she loved them. Mother, I instantly thought. I had an idea that maybe she'd like something interesting to happen to her, so I walked over to her, took off my tie, smiled, and said, 'Like so, see?' She was stunned, I could see it plain on her face. I walked off, and she shook her head and continued talking. I posed as a patient to gain access inside, and I was again to see Martha because she was a medical student at the very same hospital I was investigating."

"Pretty and educated, no wonder why she travelled with the Doctor," Rose mumbled, and the Doctor squeezed her hand reassuringly before continuing.

"I said my name was John Smith. Martha clearly recognized me. She called me out asking 'Weren't you on Chancellor Street this morning? The strange bloke with the tie?' But I denied it to not blow my cover. 'Do you have a brother then?' she asked, and I replied 'Not anymore.' I honestly did have a brother a long time ago, remind me to tell you about that sometime, anyway-Martha walks over to the bed and listens to my chest. Well, she can clearly hear that I have two heartbeats, and to keep her from telling, I wink at her. She smiled back. The doctor that was with them handed her the clipboard with all of my information and asked her to give an analysis of what's wrong with me. Scolding her that it's better to start with the patient's notes before delving right in. I rolled my eyes at that one. The strangest thing happened when he picked up the clipboard though, he received a small jolt of electricity and Martha said the same happened to her. The students all agreed that they experienced the same, but the doctor passed it off as incoming thunderstorms and just asked who discovered static electricity. But I knew, that it had nothing to do with any such thing. It was related to the reason I was here, I was sure of it."

Rose had started to trace circles on the back of the Doctor's hand as he told the story.

"Are you bored yet?" he asked.

"Oh, no," she assured. "You're the best storyteller, and you've only just started."

"Very well. Anyways I tell him the correct answer of Benjamin Franklin and I'm telling them how I was there and got electrocuted from standing out there so long and getting soaked in the rain."

Rose winced. "I'm sure that didn't go well."

The Doctor chuckled. "No, not at all. The doctor told a nurse to recommend me for psychiatric. Well, the students leave, and a few minutes after they've gone, I notice it's raining upwards, not downwards, and just as I'm about to get out of bed and investigate, there's this tremor and suddenly the entire hospital is on the moon."

Rose's eyes had gone wide.

"Obviously, the natural human reaction when they realized the same as I did was to run around screaming. Well, except for Martha, that brilliant girl. She pleads for everyone to remain calm, by saying the panic will only make everything worse, and things are being done to resolve this right away. She handled it rather well. I duck behind a curtain and I hear Martha and one of her friends having a conversations about the air, and when she says 'That's not true, the windows aren't airtight, so the air would have been sucked out already.' I stepped out, with my trusty blue suit telling her she was correct. 'Tell me then, what's your theory, Martha Jones?' 'Something has to be keeping us in an air bubble' she reasoned. I was very impressed. 'Do you have any kind of balcony?' I asked her and she led me to the patient balcony. Not surprisingly, my first thought was to test her by being completely honest. I invited her to go onto the balcony to investigate with me and she argues that we might not. Well, that completely did it. My impression of Martha Jones was completely positive."

Rose was looking impressed herself right now. "I see why you had to take her."

"Oh, we are not even halfway through this story, Rose Tyler, just you wait. I ask Martha what she thinks is going on, and she replies 'Definitely alien interference. You know, a couple of years ago, that woulda sounded crazy, but what with the Sycorax and the Slitheen, anything's possible now, I suppose. Don'tcha think, Mr. Smith?' 'Oh, I'm not Mr. Smith.' I corrected her, 'I'm the Doctor.' 'Well, fine then, Dr. Smith, whichever you prefer, like I was sayin'-' 'No, Martha, just the Doctor.' And you won't believe the cheek on that girl, Rose. She says 'I believe you need to earn that title.'"

Rose laughed, earning her a hurt look from the Doctor. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn' laugh. It's just sort of funny."

"I tossed a stone off the balcony, and it bounced back, confirming Martha's and my theory about an air bubble. I was just about to tell her my worst fear when she voiced it herself. 'This air is the only air the entire hospital has. There's over a thousand people in there. Who would isolate us on the moon and leave us to suffocate?' 'Well, I'd say you can ask them yourself,' I told her, as a huge black cylindrical ship had just materialized in front of us. My worst fear was confirmed when long lines of Judoon started marching off the ships. Those are kind of like alien space police that look like rhinos-" he explained to Rose, "-Martha and I were safe only for now on the balcony, because they were looking for anything non human to take. As you know, I'm non human, so that created quite the problem. I explained to her that they were cataloging everyone right now probably and that I was an alien. Martha, of course, didn't believe me, saying I was so human looking, and I confirmed I was, and told her the Judoon were serious business, because if they decided the hospital was harboring a nonhuman criminal, they could all be sentenced to death."

Rose gasped. "Are they really so ruthless?"

"They were taught that way," the Doctor shrugged. "It's all they've ever known. They're taught that justice is swift. I tried to locate a computer to see if I could find out what they were up to, but they were so stupid that they wiped out all the records that could help them in the first place. I turned to Martha and said, 'I didn't know about the Judoon, believe me, I was only investigating some plasma coils. But you have to tell me, has anyone checked in in the last couple weeks with any weird symptoms?' She frowned and said she didn't know she'd have to ask Dr. Stoker. She ran off and I got the backup system working. I head off in the direction Martha went to tell her when I run into her and tell her about the backup system, but she said she found the alien. 'They killed Dr. Stoker! Sucked his body dry!' she exclaimed. 'You what?' I ask, and grab her hand to run with her as something comes into our view. We run into a room with an x-ray machine, and a brilliant plan comes into my head about how to kill these things following Martha. I soniced the door and tell her to activate the machine when I say so. The things break in, and true to her word, she turns it on, and they get scorched. 'But Doctor, won't that radiation kill you?' she asked me, and I laughed. I explained that x-rays don't harm Time Lords, and I expelled the excess into my shoe. I took it off, and she promptly told me I was mad. 'You're right, I'd look daft with one shoe,' I decided."

Rose was laughing hard at this point. "I don't think that was quite her point, Doctor."

"My sonic got destroyed," he said quite sadly, "I had to throw it aside. I realized the thing I had scorched was a slab, which meant the Judoon were looking for a Plasmavore, blood sucking creatures. Martha told me about a patient going by the name Florence Finnegan killed Dr. Stoker. I wondered why she had drained the man of blood at a time when the Judoon were around, and I realized she was trying to assimilate her biology to act like a human's, so she would pass the scan. We had to find her. But as you know my luck, she had already been scanned, a black X marking her as human. We weren't looking where we were going and walked headfirst into Judoon. They scanned me, and I was categorized as nonhuman, and I was about to be executed but escaped with good old Martha." He smiled at the memory.

"To the TARDIS?" Rose asked, although she was certain that wasn't the end.

"No, not yet. I needed time to find the Plasmavore, so I told Martha to buy me time and I kissed her," he mumbled so lowly that Rose wouldn't hear him.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing," he smiled. "Just a little DNA transfer, because when she got scanned by the Judoon catching up to her, she registered as human with nonhuman traces, requiring a more intensive scan. I found Florence tampering with the MRI machine. 'Do you know what's happening out there?' I asked her trying to sound like an amazed human. 'Those rhinoceros things, what are they doing? Who do you think they're looking for? They said nonhuman!' She ordered her slab things to hold me down and she explained that she was going to set the MRI to fry everyone's brain in the hospital, including the Judoon, so she could escape, being kept safe by being in the room. I told her they were doing secondary scans to trick her into drinking my blood."

"Oh, you brilliant man!" Rose exclaimed, realizing the Doctor's plan. "But why would you be that stupid?"

"The Judoon march into the lab, demanding about the nonhuman, and scan me to see I'm dead. Florence protests her humanity, and Martha figured out what I did and scanned her to show the Judoon she classified as alien. They tell her she's being arrested for the murder of Child Princess of Padrivole Regency Nine, and she admits to it proudly. Martha used her last bit of oxygen to resuscitate me and I carried her out when she passed out and screamed at the Judoon for leaving all of the innocent. The rain started back again, and the hospital reappeared. Martha reunited with her sister, and I left in the TARDIS."

"But surely you came back for her, because she travelled with you."

The Doctor looked over at Rose and smiled. "Yes, that's exactly right. I came back that same night, and I offered her a trip to thank her for all of her help. Do you know what she said?" he asked, still in disbelief at the coaxing it took to get her on his ship.

"What?" Rose asked.

"'I don't have the time,' she said, 'I can't go off in space with you, I have to go into town tomorrow and pay bills.' 'But what if I tell you it's also a time machine?' I asked. 'I could have you back to pay those bills.' 'I don't believe you,' she says to me. I have to prove her wrong so I dematerialize and then rematerialize holding my tie from that morning. She demands why I didn't tell her to go into work that morning, and I explain that it was an established event that I can't interfere with. 'This is the TARDIS,' I tell her. 'Time and Relative Dimension in Space.' 'Won't it be cramped in there?' she asked, and I tell her to look around inside. Same mumbo jumbo about it being bigger on the inside, she asks about a crew and I explain about companions, but tell her it's just me now, and there used to be Rose, but she's gone now and lives with her family."

Rose squeezed his hand tightly.

"'And don't you think you'll be replacing her either!' I exclaimed to Martha. 'I'm just taking you on one trip to thank you for saving my life.' And the rest is history."

"So, it was more than one trip, then?" Rose asked.

"Oh, yes. I grew quite fond of Martha. Never in the romantic way, mind you, and that's why she left."

"Oh," was all she said.

"You know, the last thing I did before I regenerated was to see you on the New Year's before we met."

Rose closed her eyes and scrunched up her nose in concentration. "I can remember it now."

The Doctor suddenly noticed the Sun going down in the sky. "It's getting late, John will be wondering if I've stolen you," he winked. "Let's get you home."

They packed up the basket and walked to the car.

…

"I had a nice time, Rose Tyler," he said, when they were standing on her doorstep. "We should do this more often."

"Yeah," she agreed.

He dropped her hand, already feeling the coldness seep through his palm from the emptiness. "I suppose this is goodnight."

"Mmm, I s'pose. Goodnight, my Doctor." Rose stood on her tippy toes and pressed her lips against his for a moment before turning and walking into her flat.


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Woah, I didn't mean for that other chapter to get so many words! I mean long chapters aren't a bad thing, I just didn't think I was writing too much. Thank you elensari, AkimaruHatake777, and Mamabug1981 for the follows/favorites :) As to the review from elensari saying there was some sibling rivalry and a a binding incident for the three of them to leave together...well. I won't spoil the ending, but I can tell you it's going to get worse before it gets better. Some more anger to come up, and then some understanding of each other to be done before this story ends. Who knows? Neither could end up with Rose, they could all travel together, or she could stay with John.

Chapter 16- Paths That Lead Me Away From You

The Doctor wanted to continue on this path of doing nice things for his Rose. She seemed to really enjoy the picnic, so he decided it was time to up the ante. He just wasn't sure how. If only the TARDIS was on right now, maybe he could get the old girl to show him the right direction to start looking in. But since he didn't have that option, there was always the library.

He walked into the library, fingers lightly gliding over the spines of the books until he found was he was looking for. _A Guide to Courting Women_ the title read. Hmm, perhaps a bit outdated, but it would have to do. He flipped a few pages until he saw something that caught his eye.

_Take her out to a fancy dinner. Girls loved being treated._ That decided it. The Doctor was taking Rose Tyler to dinner.

He hummed to himself as he changed into a more suitable plain black suit jacket over his shirt and took off the suspenders. He traded his oxfords for plain black dress shoes and combed his fingers through his hair. _There. That's better._

He shoved his hands in his pockets, something he hadn't done since his regeneration, to calm his nerves.

…..

He called Rose from the restaurant, deciding it was safer that way and casually asked about dinner. When he told her the name of the place, he could almost feel the eyebrow raise he was almost certain she was giving him.

"A little fancy, yeah?" she asked.

"Maybe," the Doctor replied, and she agreed to meet him in a few minutes.

He lounged against the hostess stand, waiting for the girl to return to take down his reservation.

"How may I help you?" a voice asked behind him, and he turned to see the girl in question with a pen poised to record his name.

"Table for two, please," he told her.

"Name?"she asked.

"The Doctor."

"Doctor who?" she replied, confused.

"Just the Doctor," he sighed. She scribbled down the name.

"First date?" she asked.

"How'd you know?" he questioned sheepishly.

"You're all nerves," the girl teased. "Take a chocolate. They usually soothe everything." She produced a small square wrapping and placed it in the Doctor's hand.

"Thanks," he said, unwrapping the chocolate and popping it in his mouth. She was right, he did feel a bit better. "What's your name?"

"JoJo," she replied, with a smile.

"You're very kind," he remarked.

She said something else, but he didn't hear her, because Rose stepped into the restaurant looking like the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was wearing a simple deep red lace dress, but it suited her well.

The girl behind the hostess stand whispered to him, "That must be her, your jaw just dropped, and your eyes are twinkling."

The Doctor flushed and turned to the girl. "Yeah, her name's Rose."

"Pretty name for a pretty girl," she observed.

"_Beautiful_ girl," he corrected.

"Oh, yeah. You got it bad," she said sympathetically, and Rose walked over to grab the Doctor's hand.

"Hi," Rose said, and smiled at the Doctor.

"Hi," he smiled back, lost in her eyes for a moment.

"I can take you to your table," the girl said, smiling warmly at the both of them, and the Doctor grinned back.

…..

The Doctor couldn't let go of Rose's hand the entire time they were eating. It's like she was keeping him tethered to where they were.

He smiled at her, rubbing circles into her hand with his thumb. "What is John waiting for?" he asked Rose. I would have already married you by now if I was with you like he is. In fact, I've already been thinking about it with no TARDIS."

Rose suddenly grew quiet, and raised a shaky hand from under the table. She rotated her hand to show him a glimpse of the ring on her ring finger. "I'm engaged."

The Doctor's mouth went dry, and he snatched his hand from Roses like he had been burned. His hearts dropped to the floor and he felt like he had gotten slapped across the face. "_What_?" he choked out.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice. Then again, you never looked at that hand. We always hold hands with the other hand."

"How long?" he demanded.

"Six months now," she told him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, hurt in his eyes.

"I tried, in the console room a few months ago. I was about to, but got interrupted by John."

The Doctor studied her face for a moment before wiping his face on a napkin, and storming off out of the restaurant.

…

He still had a habit of coming to the console room when he was upset. He cried to the empty TARDIS and he screamed about what had happened. He hit the levers that made the TARDIS dematerialize, and even seriously considered breaking one off at one point to smash every part of Rose's room. But then he reasoned with himself that he would regret it later. He finally sank to the ground miserably, preparing himself for a very long night, indeed.

A woman was standing in front of him. Rose Tyler, to be exact. She was wearing nothing but a t-shirt, and he looked over to see her engagement ring was off.

"Where's John?" he asked, but she said nothing.

She crossed the room and placed a finger to his lips. Rose took his hand and pulled him up so he was leaning against the console. She bent him over it and kissed him passionately.

The Doctor responded just as angrily, twisting his hands in her hair and biting at her lip a bit harder than he would ever allow himself, just to make her understand his pain. She gasped for air, and tore at his shirt.

Oh well, he told himself, there's always more of those. He lifted Rose's t-shirt above her head and nipped the soft skin at her neck. She unbuttoned his pants and slid them off. The Doctor turned them around, so Rose was the one over the console now, and she wrapped her legs around him.

They were interrupted by a loud bang. Rose broke apart from him first, surprised.

"John, what-"

But she was interrupted but the man in question. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" John demanded angrily. His chest was heaving, and he glared between the two of them. "I had to see it with my eyes to believe it! Doctor, how could you betray me like this again! You lied! And you, Rose! We're engaged, and you're screwing him!"

The Doctor wrapped an arm protectively around Rose while she shrank into a ball, about to cry.

"Let's all try to calm down," he reasoned. "Clearly we're making Rose upset, and you don't know the full story."

"THE FULL STORY!" John bellowed. "How about this for a story? I go out to help Rose's mother fix a leak in the sink while Pete is out, and I go to call Rose to tell her I'm coming home, but she didn't pick up! Well, she's been such a good player, that I decide to get her some flowers while I'm out! I assumed she was busy, and I guess I was right!" He stormed out of the TARDIS, and the Doctor turned to Rose to say something, but she quickly pulled the t-shirt over her head and ran after John.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Wow! It's been 17 chapters already! Thank all of you lovely people for all the follows/favorites/reviews for this story, I was pleasantly surprised it was such a positive response! Well, the Doctor has gotten himself into quite a pickle this time, hasn't he? And we haven't heard the last of John yet…and there's like 27 chapters left. I never realized it was going to be so long! I hope you like long stories like I do. This chapter is really short, I promise to try not to make any this short ever again, but I wanted it to be this small.

Chapter 17- Mirrors Never Lie

The Doctor did not get any sleep the previous night. Instead he had been doing some self-reflection. _What am I becoming?_ he asked himself. _I slept with an engaged woman._ He cradled his head in his hands. He was afraid that he was slowly losing his mind.

_But you didn't know she was when she kissed you, and she had plenty of opportunities to tell you she was engaged_, his mind reasoned. The Doctor sighed._ I love her, but she really will be the death of me._

Almost as if on cue, the TARDIS door slammed open and John stormed in. He walked right up to the Doctor, and he stood up. John punched him square in the face.

The Doctor rubbed his jaw for a moment before saying, "I suppose I deserve that."

John sighed and sank to the floor beside him, and the Doctor leaned against the console. He tried not to think about what had occurred there 12 hours, 5 minutes, and 20 seconds ago.

"My life was so simple and happy before you came," John said bitterly. "When I saw you on our doorstep on Thanksgiving a couple months ago, I knew our lives would change, because I knew me, and I knew how I felt about Rose. I figured stupidly at the time, that I could appeal to you by saying she didn't want to see you, and maybe you would go away, and our lives would continue on normally. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy."

The Doctor offered him a small smile.

"I love her," John said.

"I know. We're the same person after all."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "I asked you how you felt about her, and you said you liked her, and that she was special. Why did you lie?"

The Doctor pondered John's question for a moment. "Rule #1," was all he said.

"The Doctor always lies," John murmured. "You know I always question if Rose really loves me. Especially at the beginning of all of this. When she opened the door, it was like she was finally waking up after a long time. Her eyes brightened and she looked at you with such warmness and tenderness."

"No, Rose loves you, there's no doubt about that. She gave you a smile once whenever we were having lunch here in the TARDIS, and it was such a reassuring smile. I have never seen it before. You're the one she always chases, aren't you?"

John looked down sheepishly. "Do you really think so? But then what about you?"

"Maybe she loves us for different reasons," the Doctor shrugged.

John nodded and stood up. He walked out of the TARDIS without waving or saying a word.

The metacrisis had looked so old, and it was the Doctor's fault. Both John and Rose had been forced into aging so much since he had crashed into their garden. _I wonder if there's ever a time where we can exist peacefully._ It's not like he asked for this, he most certainly did not plan for this to all blow up in his face. _But I suppose that's the curse of being the Doctor._


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Thank you to SeleneAlice and WanderingSiren for the follow/favorite. Also, I would like to thank so many of you that have added me as one of their favorite authors and put me on author story alerts! That is so flattering :) And to the review by PeacePinkSeddie: Yes, I agree that this time it wasn't really the Doctor's fault! This chapter they are going to be civil to each other though. Sometimes I want to bang all of their heads together because none of them are making it easy on the other. I agree about the Eleven loving Rose still, and I saw that video about a week ago. Pretty nice :)

Chapter 18- Imaginary Friends

Rose had convinced the two of them to go out to the Lone Wolf for lunch with her. The Doctor and John tried to avoid each other's gaze as possible, but smiled whenever Rose looked at them.

When they all sat down out the table, the conversation was obviously forced, but they were trying to be civil to each other at least. It might be hard, but the two men were _trying_ for Rose. The Doctor could see that she knew they were only pretending, but _really_ what did she expect after recent events? They were quiet for a long time before Rose sighed.

"D'you remember when I told you about the gymnastics tournament I won a bronze in?" she asked.

The Doctor smiled at the memory. "Yeah. First adventure."

"Of course I do," John said.

"Well, I never had many friends in school when I was younger, not until I started goin' around with Mickey. I used to get picked on all the time for livin' in Powell Estates with mum, they said my dad was a deadbeat and left her to raise me on her own, and I screamed at them and told them they were stupid. I used to come home cryin' every night, and mum would make me tea and stroke my hair and tell me stories about my dad. One night, I come home and marched right up to her and said, "I wanna take gymnastics, mummy!" You see, we had this new gym teacher at school and she was showin' us some tricks on the balance beams and all that, and I wanted to do it, too. Well, mum worked two jobs just to pay for my classes," Rose smiled, and ran a hand through her hair.

The Doctor wanted to take her hand to comfort her. _How dare those children?_

"Anyways, the day I won the bronze medal, I saw someone watchin' me perform. And you might say _'Everyone was watchin' you perform, Rose.'_ but this person was different. There was somethin' about him that stood out. When I won the medal, he cheered extra loudly, more than mum even. I asked mum about it later, and she said it was probably just a teacher or somethin'. To me, he was somethin' else entirely. I made up stories about him that could fill notebooks, and I drew picture of us together, goin' on adventures. I came to think of him as my imaginary friend. I would talk to him all the time, and cry to him as well. When I was datin' Jimmy Stone, I used to lay in our bed every night cryin' and wishin' for my imaginary friend to take me away with him. Nothin' came of it until I saw him on the street corner one day, and I took that as a sign it was time to end things with Jimmy, and I've never looked back."

The Doctor and John's eyes were glued to Rose's face. She commanded all of their attention. The Doctor thought about her story in his mind, and there was something about it that seemed awfully familiar. He searched his memory for any clues on why what she was telling him seemed real like he had witnessed it with his own eyes, and suddenly he remembered.

"I was your imaginary friend," he told Rose.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"I remember now. It was when I was still in my eighth form, right before I regenerated into Nine. I was investigating something at your school. I heard the screaming and cheering inside the gym, and my curiosity got the best of me. I peeked my head in to watch whatever was taking place. It was a gymnastics tournament, and I was watching this blonde little girl do a handstand on the balance beam-_perfect_ handstand, by the way, should have at_ least_ gotten second, I think the girl paid the judges, anyway-I just got this sort of feeling. This feeling that the girl was special and important, I just didn't know how. So, I cheered for her. Extra loudly."

Rose grinned. "Even then, you were watchin' over me."

"I suppose I was," the Doctor said.

"My guardian, the Doctor," she teased.

John laughed at that, and that got the other two laughing as well.

The chips had long gone cold and soggy, but none of them noticed as they talked well into the sunset.


	19. Chapter 19

AN: A thank you to TwilightSeraphim, jessicawho, Lunara7, and akane1chan for the follow/favorite! Everyone that is following this story is just lovely, and I thank you for seeing it out until the end. Although, we still have a bit to go. This next chapter is almost taken completely from watching the video I talked about in one of my other Author's Notes, so you might think it seems familiar. I don't own Doctor Who, I hope you know that already! :)

Chapter 19- Schemes You Draw Up Just to Keep Her

The Doctor was woken from his sleep by the TARDIS. More specifically a voice from the TARDIS.

_It's time to go, my Doctor. I miss travelling with you._ For a moment, he thought he was having a daydream about Rose, but then he realized it was the TARDIS speaking to him.

_The TARDIS._

The Doctor flung the blankets from his body and jumped up. He ran out to the console room and stroked the console. "Yes!" he exclaimed.

His TARDIS was going to work again. He didn't want to think about the why or how right now, he just wanted to be able to connect with her again. _Oh, I've missed you, old girl,_ he smiled fondly. The TARDIS was going to let him fix her, and then he was going to travel again. It always was the Doctor in the TARDIS. _With Rose Tyler_, the TARDIS provided for him.

_Rose._ Ah, yes. That complicated things, now didn't it? Could he really take her away from John? Would he be allowed without serious repercussions? For the first time in a long time, the Doctor was truly scared, but he couldn't dwell on that just yet.

He ran under the console and sat in the makeshift seat he suspended from the floor above. He got to work with his sonic screwdriver. It was peaceful for a while, and all seemed right in the world.

"There now, that's better isn't it?" he cooed to the ship. "Good girl." With his TARDIS back in working order, he felt like a new man. He felt like he could do anything. His mind was made up. The Doctor was going to tell Rose to pack her bags and come with him, consequences be damned. It was always meant to be the Doctor and Rose Tyler in the TARDIS.

His ship tried to warn him against it, but he wasn't having it. The Doctor marched straight out and headed for Rose's flat.

…..

"Rose Tyler!" he called into the flat. "Get your coat!"

Rose poked her head out of the kitchen in confusion. "Where are we going?"

"On an adventure. Now, pack your bags."

"Okay….but why?" she asked him. "Shouldn't we wait for John?"

His hearts clenched when she said his name. "Nah. This one we have to do alone."

She studied his face for a moment. He knew that she was going to catch on. "You got the TARDIS workin' again, didn't ya?"

He nodded, face lit up with excitement. "Get those bags packed then."

Rose slowly nodded and walked up the stairs. The Doctor followed her babbling the entire time.

"It was great! I was woken up by her this morning and she said it was time to go. I was able to fix her at last. Oh, I've missed her so much."

"Time to go?" She paused on the top step and turned to look at him. "We're goin' away, aren't we?"

The Doctor looked at her with a sad smile. "We'll all go, I just want you to be ready. You know how long it takes women."

"You know it only takes me five minutes, tops. So, what's really goin' on?" Her face was stern.

He shook his head. "Nothing, Rose. Just get your bags together, okay?"

Seeming satisfied with this answer, she turned and walked the rest of the way into her room. The Doctor sighed in relief. She would forgive him for this, she had to. She had to understand that she was his. He couldn't leave her behind. He couldn't take John either.

Rose appeared on the stairs a few moments later, bag thrown over her shoulder. "I wasn't sure how long we would all be gone. I packed some clothes for John, too."

"Great!" the Doctor exclaimed, in a higher pitch than normal. Thankfully, she didn't catch on. He took her arm and they walked down the stairs together.

"This will be so great," she smiled at him. "A proper TARDIS adventure! John never really got to travel much for real, only in his memories."

Of course that was his Rose, thinking of everyone else's feelings before her own. She was interrupted by the door opening. John was home.

…..

"What's going on?" he asked the two of them, searching their faces for the answer. The Doctor looked down, and Rose's face lit up excitedly.

"The TARDIS is fixed, John! The Doctor said he was goin' to take us with him!"

"He did, did he?" John looked over at the Doctor. "I don't think so. I know how he thinks. He was going to take you, and only you."

The Doctor looked at him. "Yes."

John nodded. "Betrayal and lies seem to be all you're good at, eh Doctor?"

"John!" Rose yelled, shocked.

"No, he's right Rose." He turned to face her, and took her face between his hands. "I am an extremely selfish man. I don't want to share you with anyone. Not even a version of myself." He closed his eyes and scrunched his nose.

He opened them when Rose squeezed his hand. The Doctor turned to John again. "I can't lose her!" he yelled.

"I understand," John said. "But you have to leave. We're engaged. She's not your Rose anymore."

The Doctor turned to Rose and she dropped her gaze. She let go of his hand, and took her bag off her shoulder. John climbed the stairs until he reached both of them.

"Come with me. I want to make sure you leave, alright?" He extended a hand towards the Doctor.

He grabbed it reluctantly and made an appeal to Rose with his eyes. She shook her head. He followed John out the door. John walked him out to the TARDIS and opened the doors.

He turned on the engines for the Doctor and started to walk away.

"Wait," the Doctor said.

John turned around.

"I hope you have a great life together. Really."

He smiled at the Doctor. "Thanks. I hope you find someone to travel with." With a wave, he left the TARDIS.

The Doctor started to pull the lever to prepare to dematerialize, when Rose ran in, leaving the door wide open still.

"Wait!"

"Rose, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm scared of you leavin' again. Can you take us both? Please? Just for me."

The Doctor thought about it. "Okay."

Rose smiled widely at that, and called out, "John! John, come back in! The Doctor's gonna take us both!"

"I'm so sorry," the Doctor said to her, and before John could reach the TARDIS he closed the door.

_BANG!_ John collided with the door. The handle jiggled. "Let me in." His voice was low and demanding. "Let me in!_ LET ME IN!_" The door was being kicked and hit.

_This isn't right_, the TARDIS told him. He ignored her and dematerialized.

"What are you doin'?" Rose screamed. "You have to go back for him! We're not leavin' him!"

The Doctor looked at her. "Yes, we are."

"Why are you doin' this?" she cried.

"Because I love you," he told her.

"If you love someone, you don't hurt them!"

"Well, then tell me what to do, Rose, because I don't understand!" the Doctor yelled, and ran into the hall.

_You've upset Rose_, the TARDIS scolded. _Go back for him._

"No!" he said defiantly. "That's it! I've won! _The Time Lord victorious!_"

…..

The Doctor went out sometime later. "Rose, I…" he was about to apologize, when he noticed something.

Rose was linked to the time vortex again. She was Bad Wolf.

"_Rose!_" Fear gripped his hearts tightly. He couldn't lose her like this, after he had gone through so much to have her again. "What did you do?!"

"I had to let him know where we were, Doctor. The TARDIS wanted to help."

"I thought we had enough messing with the time vortex, eh?" he asked.

A cry escaped from Rose's throat, and she started to collapse, the glowing light escaping from her.

_Please, no,_ he pleaded. He ran over to her and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Please be okay," he cried. He set Rose down lightly, cradling her in his arms. "Why would you do this?"

_Because you wouldn't help her_, the TARDIS sighed.

"She's probably dead because of you!" the Doctor screamed.

_She will be fine. She's just a little exhausted. John will be here soon._

"Why?" he yelled. He pulled her against his chest and sobbed.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Well, that last chapter was...something, wasn't it? I promise Rose is safe like the TARDIS said. John will find them. Other than that, stick around ;D Remember we still have a while to go. Remember to review! I can answer questions and other things you might want to say!

Chapter 20- Trapped Between Right and Wrong

Rose woke with a gasp. "Doctor?" she mumbled.

"I'm right here," he assured her, cradling her head still.

"Are you okay?" she asked, and he chuckled darkly.

"That is just like you, Rose Tyler. I'm the one that takes you from your fiancee and cause you to look into the time vortex and faint, and yet, you're concerned about me."

Rose reached up to stroke his cheek. "I always worry about you."

He let her head go and she rested on his lap. The Doctor slapped his forehead.

"Stupid, stupid, so stupid!"

Rose's eyes widened. He sighed and laid his head next to hers.

"Do you remember when you met Captain Jack?" he asked.

"'Course I do, who can forget him?" she laughed.

"Right. Well, when I saw him flirting with you, that was the first time I realized I loved you."

She grabbed his hand. "I did it to make you jealous," she admitted. "Jack did it to help, because he knew how I felt, and later how you felt when he saw us together. He knew I wanted to dance with you, and you did too, you just didn't want to admit it."

"I have always been a selfish man, Rose Tyler, when it comes to you. I don't seem to know how to give you up again."

"You did it once," she said simply.

"Rather stupidly," the Doctor admitted.

"Yes. But you did it, because you thought it was the right thing. This is the right thing. All of us, travelling together."

He sighed. "I have to take you back, don't I?"

Rose didn't answer him, but her silence confirmed what he feared. The TARDIS started making some whirring noises and he jumped up.

"Almost time to land." He stood at his position and pulled some levers, trying to make the landing a little smoother. As smooth as you can get as the Doctor piloting the TARDIS, anyway.

They landed with a _THUMP!_ and the Doctor pulled Rose up from the floor. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I can be brave for you. But I can't take you both, please understand. It'll be too hard."

Her face fell in front of his eyes, and he wanted to comfort her so much. She pulled away from him and ran out of the TARDIS doors. He followed Rose.

She ran into John's outstretched arms, and he hugged her tightly, kissing her head every few seconds.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"Everything's alright," Rose told John, crying. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he murmured, and turned to glare at the Doctor. "So this is the leaving her heartbroken on my doorstep part, I suppose?"

He crumbled to the ground, not able to support his legs anymore. He started to sob again and John's face softened. He let go of Rose and she ran over to the Doctor.

She knelt by his face and stroked his back. "You're okay. You'll find somebody else."

"That's just it!" he exclaimed. "I can't find anybody else." He looked at John. "I'm sorry I made her fall in love with me all those years ago, I'm sorry you got created. I'm sorry you had to live with all the rage. I'm so sorry."

Rose pulled his face to meet hers again. "Don't you apologize for lovin' me. It's so much more than that."

The Doctor said, "I know. That's the way I feel." He whispered something in her ear in Gallifreyan that was the closest to his true feelings. She looked at him, with tears in her eyes, then looked at John and ran into the flat.


	21. Chapter 21

AN: Thank you to safiregurl and Anaika Skywalker for the follow/favorites to this story! To answer PeacePinkSeddie, I feel bad for the Doctor, and I agree he should have listened to the TARDIS. I don't know how well they would all travel together, though. I guess we'll have to wait and see! As for the other review from a guest: Yes, my point is she would never leave the metacrisis, but there's something that's going to happen. It's not as brutal as my original ending, so I guess everyone should be thankful for that xD Enjoy!

Chapter 21- Fear of Being Alone

This was the first time in the Time Lord's 900+ years of existence that he was actually afraid to be alone. _What do I do?_ he asked himself.

_I can't tell you that_, the TARDIS said gently.

He sighed and leaned against the console. "I know if I drag out the leaving it'll only make it that much worse for everyone, but I can't seem to bring myself to leave yet. Why do they always leave in the end?"

_Not on purpose_, she reminded him. _And Rose left against her will. I have no doubt she would travel with you until she died._

"Maybe it's better then?" he asked. "That I didn't have to see her grow old? Instead I can imagine her living a happy life with the metacrisis."

_At least you'll know she's happy. I'm sure this isn't easy on her either._

"Do you know what happened while you were off?" The Doctor wanted to know, but he was afraid she would scold him for it.

_That the two of you fought for Rose like five year olds after cookies? Yes. I also know that you and Rose are bonded, soulmates. It's not hard to figure that out. But you both can still be happy knowing the other one is happy._

"But what about the link? Won't we both be in pain?"

_Let me handle that, my Doctor. I can help_, the TARDIS said comfortingly.

"You can help Rose, too?" he asked.

_If she comes in the TARDIS before we leave, I can help her._

The Doctor nodded happily. "I suppose I know what I have to do then."

A note glided under the TARDIS door, and he ran over to pick it up. _Doctor, come to the house. Rose needs you. -J_

The Doctor felt panic rising in his throat. What if it was after effects of the Bad Wolf incident? He would never forgive himself if anything bad happened to her.

"I gotta go!" he called out, and ran into the daylight.

….

He didn't bother with knocking, he barged right in. The Doctor called "Rose?"

"In here, Doctor," John said, sounding like he was in the kitchen. That was weird. Why would Rose be in the kitchen if there was something wrong with her?

"Rose, what's wrong?" he asked, stumbling over his own feet to reach the kitchen from running so fast. But there she was, perfectly fine, although a little tired. She was sitting at the kitchen table. "What?" he asked. "What about the note?"

"The note?" Her eyes swam with confusion.

"I wanted you here so we could talk about Rose going with you in the TARDIS," John explained, "She needs it, and she needs you. The piece of coral you gave me won't be ready in this lifetime."

The Doctor frowned. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" John asked. "You were so ready to yesterday."

Rose got up from her seat and walked over to John. "I wanna be with you, I don't wanna leave without you."

"I know you're just waiting for my permission to go, eh?" John smiled sadly. "You just don't wanna hurt my feelings, because that's not who you are, Rose Tyler."

A tear slid down Rose's cheek. The Doctor cleared his throat. "She should stay here with you."

"But what about your speech last night?" John asked.

"I just don't want to be alone," he said, looking at Rose.

"Exactly," John agreed, and turned to Rose. "Listen to me, it's okay to go with him. We're the same man, but he's the one you made the promises to. And now you've got a chance to make good on them, alright?"

"No," the Doctor spoke up. He walked over to Rose and kissed her on the lips slowly. "You have to stay. You made John a better man, and he wouldn't know what to do without you. You did the same for me, but he won't be stupid and leave you. Twice."

Rose started to cry and she pulled him in for a hug. "Promise me you'll find someone."

The Doctor just broke apart from her and patted her shoulder.


	22. Chapter 22

AN:I just watched The Angels Take Manhattan again because I'm rewatching the series before the 50th, ugh, that was , just a warning, there will probably be a lot of feels poured over into this. Do you think the Doctor did the right thing? Do you think he'll make good on what he said and leave without her? 3 more chapters until the Doctor leaves. Remember to review! And remember to enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 22- War of the Time Lords

The Doctor was getting the TARDIS organized when there was a knock on the door. He walked over to open it, only to have Rose walk in.

"Hello," she said quietly, and smiled at him.

"Hi," he replied.

She walked over to the console and stroked it.

_I sure miss her,_ the TARDIS breathed.

"She says she misses you," the Doctor told her.

"I know," she said. "I can hear her, too."

"Do you also know about the bond?" he asked.

Rose nodded. "I can feel it."

"Then you have to let the TARDIS help you with it."

She placed both of her hands on the console and closed her eyes. She smiled and a look of relief crossed her features. "Done."

He nodded. "Right. I guess the only thing left is the leaving."

"If it was that simple, you would have done it already," Rose said.

He laughed. "I suppose you're right."

Her face grew serious and she looked at the Doctor. "I want you to tell me about the Time War. I want to know why you can't stay still."

His mouth hung open. "Now, why would you want to know that? We can go anywhere you want! What do you say? The Doctor and Rose Tyler, one last trip in the TARDIS and then on to home!"

She walked over and took his hands. "Please. If you care about me, and you trust me like you say, you should tell me just this one thing."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Rose. I just don't want you to hate me. I did some terrible things. Please don't make me," the Doctor pleaded.

"I could never hate you," Rose said.

He sighed and relented. "Fine. But please don't interrupt me until the end, okay?"

Rose nodded.

"The Time War was the last of its kind. It involved many races, but mainly the Time Lords and the Daleks fought for the sake of all creation. They wanted to destroy life, and we wanted to bring it. It left destruction in it's wake, leaving me and a handful of Daleks the only survivors. The Time Lords predicted that the Daleks would destroy all other life forms and make themselves the most dominant creatures in the universe, and so the Time Lord Ferain sent my fourth regeneration to Skaro. 'Either avert the creation of Daleks or alter their development and make them less aggressive, and find their weakness so we can exploit it,' he instructed. Oh, how I trusted them so much back then. All I did was cause the Daleks to go to war with us.

"To punish us for sending me to ruin the Daleks, they tried to create a duplicate Doctor to send to Gallifrey and assassinate the High Council, which thankfully never worked. I didn't hear much of them again until my Seventh form, when Davros stole the Hand of Omega and gave the Daleks control over time like Time Lords. I tricked Davros into using the Hand to destroy Skaro's sun. But instead of serving as a warning, like I wanted, it only made them angrier, and they engaged in full on war.

"They came in a fleet. Must have been ten million of them, and they just seemed to keep coming. Destroy one ship, gain ten. And of course, we had our battle TARDISes, one million of them.

"I wanted to stay out of it at first, I really tried, but then I witnessed the Daleks murder an innocent child. It stirred a rage so great inside me that I led the Time Lords into battle.

"Davros went down in the first year. His command ship flew into the Gates of Elysium, right into the waiting jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried my hardest to save him, but I was too late.

"I fought in Arcadia. It was long and grueling. There was no rest, there was no peace. I fought alongside my brothers, my sons, and even my daughters. I saw some of them die. But I couldn't stop to think about them, not when millions were dying and brought back to life every second. The Time Lords resurrected the Master, my childhood friend. He was fighting at the Cruciform, he told me, but he ran in fear from the Dalek Emperor. Then Rassilon was president, and he led the battle to save Gallifrey.

"At the end of the war, the Daleks sent a capsule to Earth in the year 70 to spread the Dalek Factor among humans, but the capsule exploded, killing the Dalek soon after impact, and leading only one in every five hundred million humans to have it.

"My Eighth form tried to regain the Great Key, which had been stolen. I was imprisoned for a month, until I overpowered the guards with Chantir, and escaped with the Key. With the Key, I was going to replicate the De-mat Gun and close the Medusa Cascade. I wanted to modify the gun so it would wipe out millions from time and space instead of one individual. I was going to take it to the High Council as hope for a win against the Daleks and an end to the bitter war. If I would have only known.

"By the end of the war, Rassilon was so desperate, he proposed the Ultimate Sanction, a plan for the Time Lords to be creatures of pure conscious and destroy all of creation. All they did was bring unspeakable horror to us all. The final days were hell.

"I rejected my name. I had done so much killing in it, so much killing I didn't want. They became paranoid, calling me The Renegade, and Priyan believed I stood against the Time Lords. All I wanted was for the war to end. Rassilon was going to destroy time! I had to stop him. I used the Moment gun I created to destroy Gallifrey. I thought it was the only way...but the High Council made everyone burn with them for my punishment. I got to hear the screams and see the burning. I heard the crying and the pleading, some from my own family. But it was too late for me to do anything to stop it, and by the time I wanted to, I couldn't. Like I told you, the Time War became time locked and I could do nothing.

"My home was destroyed in a silent flash, it took galaxies with it. I changed all of creation, and I also destroyed the only chance I would have to see you. And that, my Rose, is why I am running."

Rose's eyes had been wide for nearly the entire story. The Doctor was beginning to fear she would never speak again.

"What do you mean it destroyed the only chance you would have to see me?" she asked quietly.

He frowned. "Before the destruction of Gallifrey, we could travel between parallel worlds quite easily."

"I don't blame you," she whispered.

This made him angry. He took Rose by the shoulders and shook her gently. "You should! You have every single right to! It's all my fault, Rose." He slouched against the console.

"Why did you want to know?" he asked her flatly.

"I questioned a lot a times how bad the war musta been for a man to keep runnin' away."

"Well, now that you know, do you think less of me?"

"No," Rose replied simply. "Besides, you're a better man now."


	23. Chapter 23

AN: Thank you guys for all the keeping up with the story. I promise that after this only one more chapter till the Doctor leaves and the story goes forward. At the beginning, the chapter is going to be in John's point of view because I haven't shown much of him except for interrupting and being whiny. So, a proper look at John's life with Rose, and he even gets to use the sonic! Thank you tvdtwilight101, Olympic1340, and LovDreamer for the follow/favorites :) And in response to PeacePinkSeddie: Relax, I'm not saying that Rose is going to leave John for the Doctor. It's rather a different solution that will resolve itself in the last chapter and will lead into the sequel I'm planning.

Chapter 23- Sick in Bed, Can't Fly the TARDIS

John stretched as he opened his eyes. He rolled over to see Rose sleeping peacefully next to him and he smiled. He watched her for a few moments before she opened her eyes.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," she breathed. "You're up early, as usual."

"Time Lord thing," John teased.

"Except you're not a full one," Rose replied.

"You don't have to rub it in," he mumbled, and Rose enveloped him in her arms.

"I don't need another Time Lord," she told him. "One was enough for a lifetime, trust me."

"Banana pancakes?" he asked.

"You're going to cook?" Rose asked, surprised.

"Why not? I think you need a bit of a lie-in, don't you?"

"Alright," she agreed.

John kissed Rose's forehead and got out of bed. He put on his slippers and walked out into the kitchen. He hummed happily to himself as he got out the flour, eggs, and milk. It was when he was cracking the eggs that he noticed it. The TARDIS was still in his garden.

He groaned. "Oi, has he _still_ not left then?" He rubbed his eyes, and set down the eggs. He marched determinedly out of the front door and into the TARDIS. No Doctor.

_Hmmm, that was weird_, he thought to himself.

"Doctor?" he called. "Doctor, where are you?"

"In here," a scratchy voice replied, and John's senses were on full alert.

What if the Doctor got taken over by Slitheen? That voice certainly didn't sound like his Eleventh form.

He searched through the console room for something to defend himself with and saw the Doctor's sonic screwdriver laying on the console.

_There's definitely something going on,_ he said to himself._ He would never leave this unattended._

John picked it up and held it lightly in his hand. Trying to feel the difference between this one and his other one that was in his memories.

It was a bit bulkier, he decided, but the feeling was still there. He grasped the screwdriver firmly and ran to the door he heard "the Doctor" calling from.

"John? Is that you?" the same voice asked, and John burst into the room brandishing the sonic and scanning the thing in the bed.

"You're sick?" he asked, confused. He read the readings from the screwdriver. "How can you be sick?"

"Took a trip to Argedine, they have sickness for everything, even Time Lords. Thankfully, my body only thinks it's a common cold." He paused to cough into a tissue.

"You look awful," John stated.

"Oh,_ thanks,_" the Doctor replied sarcastically. "That's exactly what I want my metacrisis to say to me. By the way, where did you find that?" he pointed at the screwdriver.

"You left it in the console room." John rolled his eyes.

"So I did," the Doctor shrugged. "Can you leave it on the nightstand? I'm going to get up and leave here in a moment."

John opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a pretty nasty sounding cough coming from the Doctor's mouth.

He crossed the room to feel the Doctor's forehead. The Time Lord was burning up.

"I don't think so," John said.

"What do you mean? I'm not taking orders from you!"

"Technically, you are. You're burning up, and there is no way you're in a fit state to travel. It'll probably be gone for tomorrow, but for now, you're staying."

The Doctor groaned. "And I suppose you're going to take care of me?"

"Me? No!" John laughed. "I have work. I'll get Rose to take care of you."

"Doesn't she have work?" he asked.

"They won't miss her for a day," John winked and left the screwdriver next to the Doctor.

...

Doctor's POV

Rose walked in some time later, carrying chicken noodle soup, blankets, cough syrup, tissues, and a bottle of orange juice.

"Right. I hear someone needs a Doctor," she quipped.

He rolled his eyes. "You're seriously not going to let that joke go? I made it two regenerations ago!"

"I like that joke!" she protested, faking hurt.

She crossed the room to sit on the bed next to him, and placed her supplies on the nightstand.

"John tells me you're sick."

"Is it that obvious?" the Doctor joked, and sneezed two times in a row.

"Nah, not really," Rose winked. She felt his head. "Oh, yeah. Definitely a fever. Hang on a mo, be right back."

She returned a few minutes later carrying a bucket of ice and a washcloth.

"She's worried about you too," she told the Doctor, putting some ice into the washcloth and wrapping it tightly. "She's said she's never seen you sick before."

"And she'd be correct," he wheezed.

Rose laid the washcloth on his head. "Better?" she murmured, pushing his sweaty hair from his forehead.

He closed his eyes. "Yes." The ice made his head feel so much better, and his body was starting to feel like it was cooling down."

"Okay, now, let's get you somethin' for that cough." She poured some cough syrup into the little cup on top of the cap and held it out to the Doctor. "Drink up!"

"What's this?" he asked doubtfully.

"Cough syrup," she explained.

He took it from her reluctantly and knocked it back. The Doctor spluttered, shaking his head violently and spit it out.

"What was that? That was revolting. If only I didn't use the last cold tablet on Donna," he mumbled. "They tasted like custard. Hey! Do we have any custard?" the Doctor looked at Rose hopefully.

"No custard until you're better," she said. "Custard has milk and will make you even sicker."

"Can we go on an adventure?" he asked.

"No, no adventures either. You're sick."

"Being sick is no fun at all," the Doctor pouted. "No wonder why I never do it."

"How about I read a story?" she asked. "That might take your mind off the fact you're layin' around."

"Fine," he acquiesced.

"What do you want to hear?" she asked.

"Tell me that funny little one you said your mum told you, about the Emperor with his new clothes. It sounds like a knockoff of the Emperor Dalek's New Clothes."

Rose agreed. "Alright. Once upon a time..."

...

The Doctor had just finished his soup and started to cough again.

"Hang on, I have somethin' that might help," Rose said. She grabbed the vapor rub and opened the jar. "Alright, off with the shirt."

"What?" The Doctor's cheeks turned red. "Why?"

"When you're sick and you rub this on your chest, it helps your breathin'." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh." The Doctor shed his shirt and Rose rubbed some of the cream-like stuff on his chest.

She was right, his nose was a lot clearer.

"Thanks," he said.

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "I'll go so you can sleep." She turned to leave.

"Wait!" he called weakly.

She turned around.

"Can you just stay and hold me? I promise no funny stuff."

Rose nodded and crawled into bed next to the Doctor. He held out his arms for her, and she cuddled into his chest. He stroked her hair and closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he was asleep.


	24. Chapter 24

AN: Kind of a short chapter, I know. The Doctor leaves next chapter! Are you sad to see him go? He'll be back, no worries ;p Thank you to truewhovians for the follow/favorite :) All of you guys are amazing! And for those of you following me/my other stuff, I'm updating all off my other in progress stories this weekend, I promise.

Chapter 24- Insomnia That Keeps You Awake

_The Doctor and Rose were laying on a blanket on New Earth. Rose was telling him some story of the time she asked Mickey to bring her mom a dozen eggs for Christmas, and he misheard and brought a dozene gallons of eggnog instead, so they had to invite all of Powell Estates over to help them finish it all. The Doctor roared with laughter._

_"Sounds just like Rickey," he said._

_"Hey now, let's give him the benefit of the doubt," Rose said with a serious look on her face._

_He shut up immediately, causing her to burst out laughing herself. They settled down a little while after that, and the Doctor traced circles on her palm._

_"I wish all days were like this," he said._

_"So incredibly domestic?" she teased._

_"No, this," he clairified. "Lying together on some strange planet, saving the world side-by-side. I want this forever."_

_"Forever," she agreed._

_He kissed her lips, but when he pulled away, there was a woman there in Rose's place._

_"Fooled you," she winked, and disappeared._

_"Rose!" The Doctor panicked. What had the woman meant by fooling him? No one fooled the Doctor! Where did she take his Rose?_

_He ran across the field into the city. "Rose! Rose! Has anyone seen Rose?" he cried._

_..._

He jerked awake. Rose was still sleeping peacefully on his chest. His arms instinctively tightened around her. What a strange dream he had had.

He drank in everything about the girl sleeping on him, because he knew he was leaving in the morning. He had already put this goodbye off for long enough.

Her bleach blonde hair waved around her face, and he could see a small tangle forming on the side where she was sleeping against him. Her cheeks had the faintest pink tinge to them. She had long, beautiful eyelashes, fluttering in her sleep. She had a graceful neck and muscular upper arms. Her lips were full and round. My perfect Rose, he thought happily. I hope John treats her better than I ever could.

The Doctor lay there for a while trying to go back to sleep, but couldn't He rubbed circles into Rose's back, and she opened her eyes sleepily.

"What are you doing awake?" she asked, sitting up.

"Nothing, Rose. Go back to sleep."

"Are you sure?" She studied his face.

The Doctor sighed. "I had a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about?" Rose asked.

"No, I don't remember it," he lied.

"Alright, just close your eyes and relax," she said to him. He did as she instructed, and she rubbed his head.

Rose started humming something and kissed his cheek.

"What are you singing?" he asked.

"You Are My Sunshine by Johnny Cash. Mum used to sing it to me when I had nightmares as a kid."

She continued humming and he could feel himself starting to drift off.

"You'll feel better in the morning," she whispered and snuggled next to him.

He doubted that was possible, but he let himself believe her for just a moment before being swallowed by dreams once more.


	25. Chapter 25

AN: Thank you to StarReader2009 for the favorite! And to Gallifreyan927, thank you for loving the story so much :) I'm glad you look forward to all the updates. This is the chapter the Doctor leaves, but not to worry, the next chapter still has Rose. Just not the way you would think ;p

Chapter 25- Goodbye, Rose Tyler

When the Doctor woke, he didn't feel like he had ever been sick at all. He yawned and stretched carefully so as not to wake the sleeping Rose.

He could feel that it was still early morning. He gently moved her onto the pillows next to him and sat up slowly. He put on his shoes at the foot of the bed. He walked over to the nightstand and grabbed his screwdriver, already feeling more like himself.

"Right then, last minute checks," he told the TARDIS. The Doctor walked into the console room and pushed the button on his screwdriver holding it against the console.

Everything looked fine. He smiled, giddy with travelling excitement, and anticipation of wherever his TARDIS would take him next.

"Just you and me again, hey old girl?" he asked out loud.

_It will be so nice_, she agreed.

The Doctor didn't know how long he stood against the console before Rose walked in.

"You're up early," she mused. "John always does that, too."

"Time Lord thing," he said absentmindedly, fiddling with some buttons on the console.

"That's exactly what he says too," Rose laughed.

"Yes, well. I'm sure you'll hear it every day from now on," he said.

She walked over to him, but he didn't realize she had until she put her face in front of his. "What's goin' on with you today, Doctor? You're not all here."

"Nothing," he said, waving her off. "Just checking some things on the TARDIS."

"You sound better," she noticed.

"Yeah."

"You're leavin'," she realized.

The Doctor sighed, and flicked the stabilizer switch down. He turned to look at her. "Yes, I'm leaving."

Her lip started to quiver. "Already?"

"I think I've quite overstayed my welcome, yeah?"

She smiled at his use of her dialect. "Maybe."

He took her hands in his. "This is the right thing to do, Rose."

She nodded, dropping her gaze to the console. "It's funny. I never pictured this in my head all the times we spent together. The leavin'. I mean, I knew it had to happen_ sometime_, I just put off thinkin' about it I guess. You both will be okay, yeah?" She smiled sadly at him and his hearts broke.

"Of course we will. The TARDIS and I are always okay."

From the smile on her face, the TARDIS had reassured Rose of the same thing.

"Alright. I just can't bring myself to say goodbye."

"Say it like we'll see each other again," he suggested.

"See you around, Doctor. And call me every once in a while, yeah?" She smiled.

The Doctor knew he wouldn't be able to call her again. The TARDIS didn't make parallel universe calls after the pathways closed.

"See you, Rose Tyler. You look after him while I'm gone."

She nodded. Her feet still firmly rooted to the spot. "I don't think I can leave. Can you call John for me?"

He called John on the TARDIS phone. "We need you in here. Rose can't bring herself to leave," he told him.

"On my way," John said.

A light knock sounded on the doors and the Doctor opened them. John walked over to Rose, not even bothering to say anything first.

"Rose, honey, we've gotta go," he told her.

Rose's feet stayed firmly on the ground.

"Remember the sunflowers we were gonna plant in the summer? You have to come out if you want to, eh?" He cradled her face in between his hands and she looked at him. John smiled at her, and she smiled back. "I'm going to take you out to the garden now, okay? We can still wave goodbye."

Rose nodded, and John took her hand. He looked at the Doctor.

"Thank you," he said, and the Doctor knew what he meant. _Thank you for letting her stay with him._

He nodded.

John led her out of the TARDIS and into the garden. The Doctor turned on the monitor to watch them and saw Rose standing next to John, teary-eyed. His hearts broke at the sight.

She waved at him, and he smiled back, even though he knew she couldn't see him. He pulled the lever to dematerialize and as soon as all he could see were the stars, the Doctor collapsed on the floor of the TARDIS, his head in his hands.


	26. Chapter 26

AN: Thank you to Nathair Bhinse, Almave, and Elyz for the follows! PeacePinkSeddie, I agree on the poor doctor! Js guest, thank you :) Skyy, I'm glad that you finally caught up! Yeah, the updates have been pouring out of me, so I could see how it's easy to get behind. I hope everyone else is liking the chapters! And now, we get into travels with the Doctor.

Chapter 26- Hello Again, Old Friend

The Doctor didn't know how long he spent curled up on the floor, but when he finally pulled himself up, his legs swayed under him. He grabbed at the console for support, and the TARDIS gave a sympathetic hum.

He stroked the ship and whispered, "Maybe we shouldn't have gone there at all, old girl."

The TARDIS made something that sound like a huff of annoyance, but said nothing. All the Doctor knew was one second he was flying along gently, and the next the TARDIS started rocketing towards an unknown destination of it's own accord.

He growled and grabbed onto the console firmly. "What're you doing this for then?"

The TARDIS didn't make any sound, but landed with quite a bit more force than usual. The Doctor grumbled, "Stupid ship."

The TARDIS sent a shock up to his hands, and he gasped, realizing how much he had hurt her. He stroked the console and whispered "Sorry, sexy."

The ship hummed positively in response.

"Should I go out then?" he asked to the empty air. The Doctor straightened his bowtie, and dusted off his jacket. He was nothing, if not excited for the possibility of an adventure. And who knew where the TARDIS had taken him?

He stepped out to see he was on Earth, that much was for certain. The streets were fairly quiet, and he had a feeling it was definitely in London. He glanced around for a newspaper of any kind to check for a date. To his relief, a British Times paper fluttered in the breeze on top of a trashcan, and he picked it up gingerly.

_Monday, April 23, 1993, _it said. Well, that explained the lack of crowds, he mused. But there was something familiar about the date. He could not put his finger exactly on it, but it was there teasing him, right on the top of his tongue.

Well, if it was one thing the Doctor knew, it was that exploring never hurt anyone. He walked down the street, examining everything he came across. A paper blew across his path, and he walked briskly over to it and picked it up.

_Jericho Junior School Gymnastics Tournament today! 11 am, main gym_

The Doctor wondered why that name seemed familiar, and then a memory popped into his head. "_I've got no A-Levels, no job, no future... but I tell ya what I have got - Jericho Street Junior School - Under Sevens Gymnastic Team - I got the Bronze!"_

He gasped and raced to the school. He was going to see Rose Tyler win the bronze in Under Sevens Gymnastics.

…..

The Doctor sat in the furthest corner of the little bleachers the school had set up. It was best to cause as little attention to himself as possible.

A group of little girls stood off to the side of the gym, looking very nervous but chatting excitedly to each other. Except for one. A little girl with light brown hair stood a few feet away from the other girls, bouncing all the balls of her feet. You wouldn't have known that she was clearly not welcome by the other girls if you weren't studying her carefully, like he was now.

Her face was slightly crestfallen, and she chewed her lip with great violence. He knew without question this was his Rose, just before she started to peroxide her hair. His hearts clenched at the sight of her being sad, and he wished he could sweep her up in a hug and tell her it would all be worth it in the end. Wouldn't it? He wasn't too sure anymore.

A man stood in front of the audience just then, holding up his arm for silence. The chaos suddenly quieted, and the Doctor was surprised he had not noticed it before. Then again, he was watching Rose Tyler.

"Good morning, parents and friends! We're just delighted you all could join us for this very special competition at Jericho Street Junior

School. Enjoy!"

_There was something to be said for getting to the point_, the Doctor noted. He obviously was the coach and not the principal. They were always long-winded fellows.

As if to prove his hypothesis, the man walked over to the girls who quieted when he got nearer. He whispered something to them and then spoke to the audience once more. "First up is Claire Thomas on balance beam."

A few people from the audience cheered and she waved shyly, stepping over to the beam. She carefully pulled herself up and the Doctor watched disinterestedly until he heard the teacher call out Rose's name.

He snapped back into focus as the girl swallowed nervously and walked up to the beam. She eyed it warily like it might eat her, and the Doctor tried to send as many positive thoughts as he could in her direction. The girl pushed herself up, carefully placing her feet in front of each other to center herself. The music started, and there was no turning back. His eyes were riveted as she did a cartwheel with a bit of a wobbly landing, a few jumps, an arabesque, and then a round off to land on the springy pad at the end of the beam, stepping a few steps back more than she should have. As far as the Doctor was concerned, though, it was perfect.

….

When Rose's name was announced for the bronze, he cheered the loudest. Maybe only a few volumes higher than Jackie though. The sight of the perfectly coifed hair and velor tracksuited woman made him smile, in spite of himself.

The Doctor grumbled the judges were rubbish though. That Claire girl that got the silver obviously fell off the beam, and obviously his Rose didn't do that. The girls were allowed to go into the audience and the crowd dispersed, handing out flowers here and there.

Rose walked over to her mother, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her fiercely. He saw Jackie smile and talk animatedly to her and the Doctor smiled at the pair.

Rose looked up and noticed him staring, however. He smiled and gave a small wave. He saw her turn and ask her mom who he was. He saw her mother assure her it was no one.

**Before they could see him again, and he did further damage to his timeline, he left through the crowd.**


	27. Chapter 27

AN: The end is in sight, I can almost taste it! It's getting closer with each chapter I write, and I'm even working on the sequel with the Ponds!

Chapter 27- The Invisible Man

The Doctor decided after that little stunt the TARDIS pulled, that he rather liked the idea of travelling to Rose's past and watching. It gave him perspective on the amazing woman she was about to become.

He scratched his chin in thought, a habit taken from his previous regeneration, and wondered where he should take himself next. All of Rose Tyler's life to choose from, and what would it be? He remembered then about her telling him about her imaginary friend, and he decided to pop in and check on her. See what the true time was with this Jimmy Stone bloke.

The Doctor pulled the lever to dematerialize and he was swirling about in the time vortex. He set his coordinates for the 1st of June, 2001 and he landed with the familiar wheezing of the engines.

The Doctor straightened his bowtie and pulled the handle. Giving himself a few moments for some deep breaths, before bracing himself and stepping out into the cool London night.

He blinked in surprise at the fact the TARDIS had landed him right in the apartment living room. He smoothed the lapels of his jacket and crept as quietly as possible to the soft murmur of a voice.

"Please, please, let my imaginary friend save me. Take me far, far away from this place. I have no future without travelling, and obviously Jimmy isn't going anywhere. Just please," Rose whispered into the dark bedroom, and the Doctor watched painfully.

Wet lines tracked all the way down her face and it was all his reserve to not cross the threshold, waking up Jimmy Stone be damned, and wipe those tears away. And then possibly throw the girl over his shoulders and take her away. He knew he wouldn't, however.

The Doctor was too cowardly to even walk in there right now. What would he even say? Hello Rose Tyler, I'm your imaginary friend, care to pop into the TARDIS three years too soon? No, that would not do at all. Best case scenario, he would be labelled a nutter. Worst case scenario, he would earn the infamous Tyler slap.

So, all he did was watch. Rose got up slowly from her position on the floor and walked over to the chair where her jimjams were laid out. When she started to take her clothes off, he turned away though. The image of her nakedness would hurt, and it seemed like a bad thing to peer at this Rose that was not his yet.

The Doctor turned back around when he heard the shuffle of the duvet being pulled back and Rose stretched, issuing a sigh of content. The bloke that he assumed was Jimmy mumbled something to her and mushed her into sides.

The Doctor frowned at that. _Love was never meant to be that harsh_, he scolded to the boy in his head. Obviously the girl was uncomfortable. Her eyes were squeezed shut in pain, and he gasped out loud and she lifted the shirt to show several small bruises on her ribcage that looked dangerously like fingerprints.

He growled in his throat. Finally, after what seemed like hours of Rose brushing her fingertips over the injury, she pulled the shirt down and faced Jimmy Stone.

Rose curled into a ball, and he smiled as he thought of how many times he had watched her sleep in that position. She drifted off to sleep easily, and he sat upon the chair she had changed into her jimjams on.

Her chest rose and fell lightly and he marveled at the perfect synchronicity.

_Just three more years, _he promised. _Just three more years and you never have to be here again. _

…

Rose thought she heard a noise and sat up abruptly.

"Hello?" she called sleepily. "'sthat you Jimmy?" But she turned and saw him next to her. "Imaginary friend?" she whispered, but got no answer.

Deciding she was going nutters, Rose snuggled back under the covers and back into sleep.

**Little did she know, on the other side of the door, the Doctor sat with his chest heaving out of breath and running to his TARDIS.**


	28. Chapter 28

AN: Thank you Infinite-Fandom! I'm glad you love the story and I hope you continue reading c: I'm not going to spoil the ending now ;D Thanks The Doctor Rose! It's been a while since I've written another chapter, so just pm me to remind me if you followed/favorited since last chapter and I've forgotten to mention you! I'm sorry it's been so long D:

Chapter 28- Lie to Her, It's What You're Good At

The Doctor was sitting in the TARDIS kitchen, enjoying his cup of morning tea. He couldn't help that he instinctually always placed two mugs on the counter, as if the blonde-haired owner would waltz in with her jimjams on like she used to.

There was something inherently different about seeing Rose Tyler before she started to travel with him, if he was being honest. It was a new experience, and not an entirely unwelcome one. He liked seeing innocent Rose and imagining what led her to the exact circumstances that led to their meeting. He knew, of course, she had told him, but it was better to experience it firsthand.

_Better with two_, rang through his head, and he shook his head to clear the offending thought. He sipped at the mug and got up to get some Jammie Dodgers, only to find that there were no more.

The Doctor grumbled and asked the TARDIS what she was playing at, but was only rewarded with the familiar wheezing of the engines as they landed somewhere. Curiosity getting the best of him, he smoothed his jacket and pulled the handle to walk outside.

"A grocery store?" he asked doubtfully. "Are you trying to tell me I need to do my own grocery shopping? So incredibly..._domestic_," the Doctor whined. The TARDIS nudged him forward and he decided there must be a really good reason they stopped at this specific grocery store, besides him buying his own Jammie Dodgers.

His fingers curled around his sonic screwdriver in his pocket and he yelled, "Geronimo!" before running into the store.

He wandered up and down the aisles, scanning the various food items looking for anything strange. It was then he saw the peek of golden hair, on aisle 5, grabbing a can of beans.

"No," he whispered to himself. Then the woman turned around, and there was no denying it. It was Rose Tyler.

"Hello!" he called cheerfully, giving her a little wave before reaching around her to grab the Jammie Dodgers.

"Hi," she replied, skeptically. "D'I know you?"

He smiled, pleased that he seemed familiar to Rose even before she met him.

"No, 'fraid not. I'm sure I'd remember a pretty face like that," he said, eyes betraying the sadness he felt at not being able to kiss her.

Rose blushed. "Oi, mate, a little friendly with the ladies, yeah?" she teased.

"A bit, yeah," the Doctor grinned.

"Are you sure we don't know each other?" she asked, frowning. "Y' seem familiar..."

"Promise," he replied, hearts clenching at lying to her.

"Okay..." Her eyes lingered on him. "What flavor?"

"Sorry?" His eyes swam with confusion.

"The Jammie Dodgers?" Rose clarified, pointing to the package in his hand.

"Oh! Raspberry," he said.

"S' not a bad flavor," she approved.

"Not at all," the Doctor grinned.

"Suppose I'll see ya?" she asked.

"Nah, I travel a lot. Just stopped by for some biscuits." The Doctor rattled the package in his hands.

"Oh," Rose replied, looking sad. Her eyes dropped to the floor.

"You never know, though. Small world after all, right?" the Doctor asked.

Her eyes looked up at him, amused. "Did you just quote the _Disney_ ride?"

He groaned. "Knew that sounded familiar. Never saying that again. Well! It's been nice to meet you, Miss...?"

"Rose. Rose Tyler." She stuck out her hand to shake his, tongue in teeth grin.

"John Smith. The pleasure's been all mine, Miss Tyler."

She giggled and shook his hand, pausing when it was time to let go. "See you around, Mr. Smith."

"Same to you, Miss Tyler," he replied, finally letting go of her hand and walking away.

He never did pay for those Jammie Dodgers.


	29. Chapter 29

AN: Well, that was short and sweet. Ah, Rose and Doctor dialogue, it's one of my favorites. Now we're on to Chapter 29, where the Doctor stumbles across something he ought not to. 5 more chapters until the big plot point comes up ;D 14 more chapters until the end. Whew! I don't own the song Center of Attention by Jackson Waters. That is where the title of this story comes from, and it's a nice song.

Chapter 29- Photo Reminiscing Always Leads the Doctor to Bad Decisions

Was he really going to do this to himself? How long had it been since he had crossed this threshold and wrecked himself all over again? The Doctor drew a deep breath and pressed two fingers to his temple. Now or never, he thought.

He turned the knob engraved with a rose, and stepped in. Exactly as she left it, like always. Sometimes he liked to pretend that Rose had stepped out to get him a surprise, like she used to do every so often, and that she would be back in the morning if he fell asleep here.

He wasn't in the mood tonight. The Doctor took the environment in shakily. Two more steps in. He wasn't even a quarter of the way in.

It was then he saw it, a box tucked neatly under some clothes under his feet. He had never seen it before. Most likely because he never stepped in the same place twice. The Doctor bent down to retrieve the box and pushed the simple little clasp.

He was rewarded with the lid swinging open to reveal two big post-its covering the entire surface. The first said _Jack, keep out_. The second said _Doctor, you too_. He scoffed at that.

Well, Rose wasn't here to stop him now, was she? He was surprised the girl hadn't taken this when she was in the TARDIS recently, but he supposed she had simply forgotten. _Or didn't like what was in the box._

This intrigued him even more.

He carefully peeled the stickys and placed them on the inside of the lid. The first photograph was of him, in his ninth form snoring. _Oh, that girl!_

She was lucky he would never see her again, because she would really get it for taking that picture of him. _He wasn't really snoring_, he defended. She just posed him like that for blackmail.

The second was a picture of her and Jimmy Stone, a thin red x over the latter's face.

Then the last photo was a picture of an even younger looking Rose at Junior Prom, making quite the picture. He always said he loved her in blue, and she wore a deep blue long number, her hair swept back with curled tendrils escaping. But she was alone.

The Doctor frowned. She never mentioned anything like this before. Why would no one ask this gorgeous girl to prom? And then a ridiculous idea came into his head.

He tucked the photo into his jacket and walked into the wardrobe room. He quickly found what he was looking for and dressed quickly in the tux. He rushed out to the control room.

"Come on, old girl, we're going to help our Rose again!"

The TARDIS hummed happily. He looked at the bottom of the photo to find the date he was looking for.

The date programmed into the controls, he leaned against the console and smiled to himself.

With a shudder, the box landed and he climbed out. The gym of West London High loomed before him and he smoothed his jacket

down, preparing to scope Rose out.

But when he saw her, he wasn't ready. She sat at one of the gossamer trainwreck tables, head in her hands. He smiled, but he couldn't make himself cross the room and ask her to dance.

He watched her mood darken with each song that passed, and his hearts panged for her.

Finally, an adult announced, "This is the last dance of the evening, lads and ladies."

The Doctor set his face into a neutral expression and walked over to Rose. "Would you like to dance?" he asks.

She looks up at him, and he can see the disbelief in her face, it breaks his hearts. "You talkin' to me, mate?"

"'Course I am!" he says cheerfully. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Rose shakes her hand but stands up. The Doctor offers a hand out to her and she gladly accepts. He leads her out to the floor and spins her once. She laughs in spite of herself.

_You want your independence, but you won't let me let you go. You wanna test the waters, and leave it on the empty shores._

"So, why's a pretty girl like you alone?" he asked as they danced together.

"Dunno, maybe 'cause no blokes got the courage like you. Been hangin' around with Jimmy Stone, ya see, and no one likes him much. Me neither now, I s'pose. Even my best mate Mickey, he took this new chick Clarice, he's been all over her business since I started goin' around with Jimmy. And Shareen would dance with me, honest, but she's with John tonight, and I told her not to worry 'bout me."

_But I'll take my time if you want to, and I'll give you whatever you need. And I'll wait a lifetime to give into you, give into you._

"Where is this _Jimmy Stone_ then?" he teased her.

"Ah. Well," Rose puffed out her cheeks, "He can't come 'cause he doesn't go here."

"I guess you're stuck with me then," the Doctor grinned.

_You think that you're the Sun, the whole world revolves around you. The center of attention. And everything is drawn to you._

"S'pose so." She smiled her tongue in teeth grin.

_But I'll take my time if you want to, and I'll give you whatever you need. And I'll wait a lifetime, to give into you, give into you._

They fell silent again, gently swaying to the music. "Because we never go to before," he murmurs against her hair.

"What was that?" she asks, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Nothing."

_Oooooo. Ooooooo. Oooooo. 'Cause I would wait a lifetime, I would wait for you. I would wait a lifetime, and I would wait for you. Oh, I would wait a lifetime for you._

**When the song ends, he leaves. And when she asks his name, he keeps walking.**


	30. Chapter 30

AN: I've been getting a lot of reviews asking me to take the Doctor back to the parallel universe...I don't really know if I can explain to you the struggle I had with myself creating the plotline of this in my head. There was a part of my brain, that just wanted this to be just a tiny fic about the Doctor showing up and snatching Rose Tyler and running for their lives before any kind of consequence at all caught up with them. Buuuuuut, as we all know, that's not what happened. This long drawn-out thing made it's way in my head at the expense of the poor Doctor. I promise, he'll get somewhere better in actually just a few chapters. And we're getting very close to the end that leads into the sequel. I hope you really like the ending! And this chapter is a bit better on the angst. A break for your poor feels.

Chapter 30- Crying Over You

His breath came out in frosty ribbons, disappearing into the night. His feet shuffled over the ground, trying to keep them warm, and his hands were buried deep into his coat pockets.

The TARDIS had stopped off a bit to charge, and the Doctor had stepped out to find some adventure. So far, however, there was nothing. Although, that could be because he was sitting on a park bench far away from the brave families that had taken their children for a trip on the swings.

But now the Sun was going down, and the people were deserting the playground, leaving the Doctor to wonder if he should do the same.

Just as he was about to push himself off the bench, he heard a few sniffles coming from a nearby tree. He frowned, thinking at first maybe it was a child with a cold, but then he heard a small whimper.

This troubled the Doctor. _Why was there a person crying in a park? Had a child scraped their knee? Or perhaps throwing a temper tantrum because their parents had said it was time to leave? _

He peered quietly over his shoulder, but he couldn't see much of the figure, besides that it was an adult female. She was quite alone, and after a quick glance around, he determined she didn't have a child here with her.

The Doctor blew some of his floppy hair out of his eyes and sighed. He stood up and walked over.

"Is everything okay, miss?" he shook his head at the absurdity of the question. "Of course it's not, you're crying. People only cry when something is wrong. Unless these are happy tears? Are you happy?" he asked the figure, still shrouded by the darkness.

"I-s'nothin'" the voice sniffled, "'m fine."

His hearts leapt in his throat as he recognized that voice. He would know it anywhere. With no thought at all, he sat quite close to her on the bench.

"Hey now," he said quietly, tilting her chin towards him so he could see the beautiful eyes hidden by her curtain of blonde-dyed hair. "What's wrong?"

She laughs dryly. "S'just...I been with this bloke for a year, right? An' I quit school for 'im too, despite everyone advisin' me against 'im, I stuck up for 'im all this time! An' look where that got me! Cryin' on a park bench, while he's screwin' the neighbor girl for 8 months outta the 12!"

The Doctor was quiet for a moment before saying, "Who needs men anyways?"

She laughed softly with him. "I s'pose you're right. What's left?"

"Becoming a spinster?" he suggested.

She wrinkled her nose. "S'long as I don't haveta get _cats_. I'm allergic to 'em."

"Alright, no cats," he agreed.

"So, what are you doin' here then?" she asked, and her question took him off guard.

"I'm, uh, waiting for a friend."

"A friend?" she asked skeptically. It seemed even before she knew him, Rose Tyler could tell when he was lying.

"Yeah!" he said excitedly. "My mate, she's gassing the car, and then we're on our way!"

"Where ya goin'?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, anywhere, everywhere." He winked at her, and she blushed.

"Wish I could travel," Rose said wistfully.

"I'm sure you will," the Doctor told her earnestly.

"Wishful thinkin'," she said, "'sides, imagine what my mum would say if I started travellin' about! She'd say 'm givin' myself airs!"

The Doctor laughed. "I think she'd adjust though. As long as you were happy."

Rose just shook her head. "Nah. You don't know my mum."

"Well, anyways," he cleared his throat, "That bloke must be a real loser if he cheated on a beautiful girl like you. He'll realize what he did to himself, and you know what? You shouldn't take him back. Let him grovel all he wants, but never go back to him. You're better than him. Better than he'll ever be. Remember that." He took her hand.

She looked at their joined hands. "Thanks," Rose breathed. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"And true," he smiled. He reached out to cup her cheek, not thinking about it, but Rose pulled back.

The spell was broken and she rubbed her hands together. The air around them seemed to grow more frigid and his breath was now just clouds pouring from his mouth. She looked so young and vulnerable now, the tear tracks drying and her mascara running.

The silence turned awkward, and he searched his mind for something to say to her. Something to take back this unwelcome advance.

Rose rubbed her palms on the legs of her jeans and stood up. "I haveta go. Gotta ask my mum if I can come back, yeah? I'll haveta hear 'I told ya so' a million times though. That's gonna get old."

"I guess this is it then?" he asked, his smile not touching the edges of his lips. "Goodbye?"

"S'pose so," she murmured. "Nice talkin' to ya...?" she paused, waiting for him to reply with his name.

"John. John Smith."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Rose Tyler," she extended a hand awkwardly to shake his, but he just glanced at it.

Rose quickly retracted it and placed them both in her pockets. "Goodbye then, Mr. Smith. Travel around for me, yeah?"

He smiled at her in response and watched her leave.

**"Oh, Rose, you have no idea," he murmured to her retreating form.**


	31. Chapter 31

AN: I am so overwhelmed by the amount of people that have favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! It's so amazing, and I'm so grateful :) Just a few more chapters until the plot twist guys. What's it gonna be? ;D ENJOY!

Chapter 31- Laughter Makes His Hearts Sing

The dubbed soundtrack laughter of Friends was all the Doctor had in the ways of laughter nowadays. Couldn't watch EastEnders, because it reminded him too much of his previous companions and their silly fascination with it. So, instead, he was watching some kind of American program from the 90's and 2000's.

He had to hand it to them, the show was pretty hilarious, but some of the jokes he didn't get. He sort of had a fascination with Ross and Rachel, too, but you would _never, ever_ hear him admit that out loud.

The Doctor mindlessly chewed on some popcorn and watched, letting the laughter of the studio audience be his reaction.

_You are getting mighty pathetic_, the TARDIS chastised.

"Hey!" he protested. "I am not pathetic! Intelligent, yes, but pathetic, no."

_You won't watch a program because of past companions_, she pointed out, _and now you're watching Friends instead of saving the world. This is the last straw. _

"That's not true!" the Doctor exlaimed. "What about the Ralligs? I took those out of East Asia. Something I _still_ haven't been thanked about," he grumbled.

_It's been 25 years since then,_ she chastised. _I know, because you've been through the entirety of Friends at least two and a half times. _

"Excuse me for being through!" he snapped. "Besides, I'm sorry for needing comfort after losing the most important person in my life!"

The TARDIS hummed sympathetically, but then said, _That was 50 years ago._

The weight of her statement sunk into the Doctor's mind.

"50 years ago?" he asked weakly. "As in 5-0?"

_Yes._

"_No_," he whispered. "You're lying." He stood up too fast from the couch and the popcorn bowl overturned, but he paced the floor instead of picking it up. "I left Rose with John only a few months ago."

_You know I'm speaking the truth, Doctor. Just think about it, really think about it. _

He sighed and sank to the ground, pulling his fingers through his floppy hair. He sat like this for quite some time until he silently got up and walked into the hallway.

The Doctor ran his fingertips along the wall looking at the doors as he passed them one by one: Susan, Barbara, Ian, Steven, Polly, Ben, Jamie, Victoria, Zoe, Liz, Jo, Sarah Jane, Harry, Leela, Romana, Adric, Tegan, Peri, Mel, Ace, Grace, Martha, Donna, Jack, and finally her room. The room he just couldn't seem to turn away from, no matter how much it hurt him to enter it.

He rubbed his fingers on the doorknob's engraved rose for a moment or two, before turning it and opening the door.

He breathed in the unique smell of Rose. The Doctor walked over to the night table with the pictures she always kept there and he

picked up the one of Rose and himself in his tenth form on New Earth.

_She's no longer alive_, he thought. _She and John were already married and had children and grandchildren and what did he have for these years?_

He pitched his arm back, like he was going to throw the picture, but he couldn't bring himself to it. He lowered his arm, and cradled the picture to his chest and lay back on the bed, crying.

…

_Go outside_, the TARDIS said gently.

"Where are we?" the Doctor asked suspiciously.

_Just look._

He gingerly placed the picture back in its place and got up from the bed, walking from Rose's room and closing the door behind him.

He opened the TARDIS' doors and stepped outside to see a little cafe before him. He glared back at the TARDIS, but he walked inside anyways.

The Doctor was unsurprised as to where the TARDIS had taken him, really, when he saw who was in there.

Rose Tyler was enjoying feeding chips to Mickey and having a right laugh with him about it too, because he would try to duck around her.

_Such a great idea_, he thought sarcastically. He sat at a booth with a good view of Rose and called the waitress over to order custard and chips.

He drummed his fingers on the table while he waited and studied the two of them interact. While it was true that she looked happier with Mickey than with Jimmy, the Doctor still felt his hearts clench when Mickey brushed some hair out of Rose's face or kissed the fingers that were trying to feed him.

Rose was giggling hard at something Mickey said to her and playfully swatted him on the arm. Every time she would laugh it was like a pain right to the heart, because he knew in the back of his mind she was still no longer alive somewhere, sometime, and he knew that once he stepped outside of this cafe, she would still be dead back on Pete's World.

The waitress deposited his order in front of him and smiled brightly.

"Anythin' else, mister?" she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"No thanks," he said dismissively, earning a glower from her.

The waitress stomped off in a huff and he continued to watch Rose, chewing a chip thoughtfully.

Then, she made eye contact with him. She watched him quizzically like he was a puzzle to figure out, and he just licked some custard off his chip.

Her eyebrows rose high on her forehead and she made a gesture to Mickey to wait for a moment. Rose Tyler stood up and she was walking towards the Doctor.

_Dead woman walking_, he noted acerbically.

"You're not from around here, are ya?" she asked him.

"No, I'm not. What gave you that impression?" he asked dully.

"For one, obviously the accent. You just don't look like ya belong. You can tell the Powell Estate people apart, trust me. Watch out for that waitress, yeah? She doesn't like bein' turned down."

"What d'you mean?" he asked.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Please. She was so obviously flirtin' with you."

"Was not!" he protested. "Besides, I'm a one woman kind of man anyways."

"Has that spot already been taken then?" Rose teased, her tongue in between her teeth.

"As a matter of fact, _yes_!" the Doctor snapped, but was immediately regretful when Rose's expression drooped.

"Didn't know it was such a sore subject, mate. What 'appened? She dump ya?"

"No, she didn't. More like I dumped her, and then she died."

"Did'you dump her 'cause she was dyin'?" Rose asked, leaning on her hands.

"No. I left her with someone who could make her happier than me."

"Did'you give her a choice?"

"No, but I tried to come back for her. And it worked for a while, but the bloke I gave her to, she was happy with him, ultimately. So, I left her."

Rose gave him a pitying look, but then said, "Maybe you shouldn't have left her in the first place, yeah?"

"Yeah, maybe," the Doctor shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

She cleared her throat. "Anyways, s'not why I came over here. Didn't mean to get all personal. I merely wanted to ask what in the bloody 'ell you're eatin'."

"Chips!" he defended.

"Chips dipped in _custard_," she noted, wrinkling her nose. "Isn't that disgustin'?"

"Nah." The Doctor shook his head and dipped the steaming chip into the creamy custard and waved it in front of her face. "Try it, you know you want to. Custard goes good with everything, _especially_ fish fingers."

"With fish fingers?" she said incredulously. "Now you're just strange." She took the chip from him and took a tiny tentative bite.

"Well?" the Doctor asked expectantly.

"S'good," she said, surprised. "S'really good!"

"Told you," he teased.

"I guess you did," Rose sighed. "I hate bein' proved wrong." She took another chip and dipped it in custard.

And then the Doctor felt custard sliding down his nose before he could do anything to stop her. Rose laughed, wiping the custard all into his nose.

"S'what you get for provin' me wrong," she teased. "Come on and laugh! You gotta admit it was a little funny! And you look like you could use a good laugh."

The Doctor actually did start cracking up a bit. And then when Rose started to full on laugh, even letting out an involuntary snort, he started laughing from deep in his hearts.

The waitress gave them a dirty look from behind the bar, and Rose leaned in to whisper, "I think you better tip her real nice, she doesn't look too pleased with you today."

This made them laugh even harder, and Mickey turned around and looked at them in confusion.

"Babe?" he called. "Are you comin' back?"

"Yeah, Mick! Be there in a minute." She turned to the Doctor. "S'been nice seein' you again Mr. Smith." She made a mock salute at him and he sat there, open mouthed that she remembered him.

**She turned and ran back to Mickey.**


	32. Chapter 32

AN: Thank you nortega and koryandrs for the reviews. I agree with the go Rose and thank you for liking the dialogue :) Thank you to Hopper247, MaryMatthesen, Hinata001, bananas-are-good-9, and Becks Marie for the follow/favorites! This is the last chapter before the plot twist ;D Keep enjoying, keep reading, keep reviewing! Sorry this one is so short!

Chapter 32- Lullaby to Soothe Your Weary Soul

_The air was crisp and the trees had leaves changing colors. The leaves made crunching sounds under his boots and he was aware of the presence of another hand clutching his tightly and swinging it. He looked over to see Rose, and she was smiling at him._

_"All of time and space, and where d'you wanna go?" she asked him._

_"What are you on about, Rose Tyler? I asked you first!" the Doctor protested._

_"I'm askin' while you still have a choice," she told him, tongue poking in between her teeth._

_"While I still have a choice?" he asked, confused. "What d'you mean?"_

_She smiled, mischief in her eyes. "Pretty soon you won't have one. She'll make it that way. You'll haveta come save me, my Doctor. Don't lie to her, whatever ya do. You don't wanna lose her again, d'you?"_

_"Rose, what's going on?" he asked, his voice shaking. "You don't sound like my Rose."_

_"Because I'm not," she told him matter of factly. "I am the Bad Wolf. That woman made me so. You should've just left me!" she screamed._

_A light enveloped her, like when she had the vortex running through her head, and a beam of light hit the Doctor making him fall down, down, down…._

He sat up, shaking and sweaty. These kind of dreams had been happening more and more frequently, and the thing that made him most unnerved, was he had no idea if they had a meaning.

The Doctor pushed his hair out of his face and held his head in his hands. Why were the dreams always about something Rose had done wrong or Rose disappearing, a strange woman in her place. Who was she?

What if he had placed her in some kind of danger by not taking her with him? What if he hadn't made the right decision?

He felt the TARDIS nudge his mind comfortingly._ You did make the right decision,_ she assured him._ Stop beating yourself up._

The Doctor sighed. "I need sleep. I haven't been getting any, but I need it."

_I've got just the thing_, the TARDIS promised.

He settled back into his sheets and tried to relax.

"TARDIS archives, November 4th 2006," the room said to him and a projection played above his head on the ceiling.

It was Rose and his ninth form. His ninth form was screaming and trying to hit, like he didn't know where he was, and Rose patiently sat on top of his arms and legs, waiting for him to stop. She sang softly to him, some kind of lullaby he could no longer remember, and was too low to be picked up.

Slowly, the thrashing he was making calmed down and Rose stroked what little hair he had.

"There that's better," she murmured.

"Thank you," he said hoarsely. "I mean it."

"I know you do," she told him, with a warm smile. "I can tell when you're lyin'."

"You can not," he protested.

"Can so. Now, shush, go back to sleep. We both need it after today." She started humming the same tune she was singing before hand, and rolled off of his arms and legs, instead rubbing his head.

This continued for quite some time until he started softly snoring and Rose smiled and kissed his forehead. "Night, Doctor. Glad I could finally get you to use them big ears of yours, yeah?" she chuckled softly in the darkness and the tape stopped playing.

The Doctor snuggled further into the covers and fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	33. Chapter 33

AN: Thank you guys, for not giving up on this story yet. I've been trying to finish this chapter for a couple weeks, but I could never get it to my liking. Well, I think it's semi-there for now, so enjoy and wait for the next one!

Chapter 33- What If...?

The Doctor was awoken by the plummeting of the TARDIS. He scrambled out of bed, confused.

"What is it?" he yelled. "What's wrong, old girl? I don't hear the cloister bell, so that's a good sign!"

As if on cue, the cloister bell sounded, and the TARDIS was falling more quickly than before.

"What _are_ you doing?" he muttered, but got no response. He made it out to the console room, pulling his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. After a quick scan, he scratched his head.

"Why are your engines failing? Where are you going?" The Doctor patted the console fondly and quickly started to try and fix the engines' damage.

With a whir and a click, the engines managed to turn back on, but the ship started to creak. The Doctor looked at the screen, trying to figure out what the TARDIS was doing. Was someone doing this to her?

_"Would you like to tell me what you're doing?_" he hissed, holding onto the console for dear life. "You're basically draining yourself like when..." he paused mid-sentence, realizing where the TARDIS was taking him.

"_No!_" he yelled, mashing buttons in the hope she would stop. "You can't do this to me! To yourself! It's not worth it!_ Please,_" he pleaded, "I don't want you to."

_I can't stand here and watch you slowly deteriorate, Doctor,_ she said. _It's really quite sad. You haven't had a companion in quite some time, and you stopped saving the world years ago. Now, I'm taking you back to Rose, and that's final._

The Doctor huffed and sank down beside the console. "I don't see why you're doing this to yourself."

_For the people we love most, we will do anything,_ she told him.

He smiled at that. "Why did you even take us there in the first place?"

_You haven't figured it out yet?_ she asked. _You needed each other. Just not the way you tried to go about it. You weren't ready then. But now you've spent 100 years away from each other._

With a resounding crash, the TARDIS landed, and the Doctor sprang up.

"Stay with me, old girl!" he exclaimed, and dashed under the console to toy with the engines, but nothing could be done.

_This time make it right,_ she said, before the Doctor could feel nothing at all.

He pounded on the console and cursed the high heavens that the TARDIS left him stranded in this parallel universe, _again_.

But he supposed while he was here…

The Doctor stumbled out of his ship and shut the door behind him with a slam. "I don't care if she gets mad at me," he muttered. "Stubborn ship."

To his surprise, he hadn't landed at Rose's flat. Instead, he was outside some kind of shop. With a frown and a look of confusion directed back over his shoulder at the TARDIS, the Doctor opened the door to the shop.

He was overwhelmed by the smell of champagne and flowers almost immediately. Upon closer inspection he noticed that there were bridal gowns and tuxedos surrounding him in all colors and fabrics.

Great, he grumbled to himself. This should be a pleasant visit.

The Doctor looked around for John and Rose and within a few minutes he located them.

The couple was laughing together and talking over some kind of dress Rose was holding in her arms, and John had a tuxedo in his. He watched them interact for a while and followed as they went into a dressing room.

The Doctor sat on a chair and listened to the giggling from inside. Suddenly, the pair fell quite silent and he could feel the tension in the air.

"We know you're out there, Doctor," John said. "What are you here for?"

He could hear the nervousness in the man's voice.

"Nothing," he assured. "I just want to talk, that's all."

The curtain was pulled aside and Rose rushed out and swept the Doctor into a famous bone-crushing hug.

"I've missed you," she murmured in his hair. "How has everythin' been? Where's your companion?" She pulled back and kept him at arm's length.

"Missed you too," he told her honestly. "I'm alright. I'm always alright, aren't I? And no companions, Rose Tyler. Not yet."

She frowned at that. "How long you been travellin' on your own?"

The Doctor looked down at his lap just as John appeared with a tux slung over his arm. "Hello, Doctor. Haven't been terrorizing the galaxy too hard, have we?"

He looked up at John and smiled half-heartedly. "No, not too hard."

"Well, I believe someone asked for a chat, didn't they, Rose? So, why don't we ring these up and meet up at our flat in say, half an hour? Whatdya think, Doctor?"

"Great," he said flatly.

"Alright then, see ya!" John grabbed Rose's hand cheerfully and they walked out of the dressing room.


End file.
